Hanami
by Katana Star
Summary: Sakura's life turns upside down as her body undergoes a sudden transformation. She was once regarded as a feeble, ordinary kunoichi but has now acquired a power feared by the shinobi world. What do the Uchiha have to do with her family history?
1. Cantata

Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto or Elfen Lied. Otherwise I would be much wealthier…

A/N: My first fic. Be nice. No not really. I didn't know whether to classify this as a crossover or not. The setting is in the Naruto universe and does not involve any characters from Elfen Lied. I got tired of Sakura being a useless, cardboard character with no unique qualities or back story other than being teased for her forehead. Seriously…wtf? Cookies to those who review. \^0^/

* * *

Cantata

_The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom  
And his language shall be spoken in judgment  
Blessed is he who suffers temptation  
Since he, with approval, shall receive the crown of life  
Lord, fire divine, have mercy  
Oh how holy  
How serene  
How kind  
How pleasant  
Oh, lily of chastity!  
Lord, fire by divine, have mercy  
Oh how sacred  
Oh, How serene  
How bevolent  
How lovely  
Oh! Lily of chastity_

A juvenile Itachi strolled with his younger sibling by his side at the park. Sasuke clung bashfully to Itachi's hip as he spotted a group of young girls cackling in the distance.

"Sasuke-kun!" A young brunette blew a kiss to Sasuke.

Sasuke turned his head away from the girls and buried his face further into Itachi's hip. The girls giggled and squealed as they had become fixated on the indifferent Sasuke. Itachi gave a warm smile much to Sasuke's embarrassment. They continued walking along the sidewalk until a bright pink flash collided into Itachi. A young pink haired girl's cheeks flushed a rosy shade of red. Her jade colored eyes shifted toward the ground as she clasped her hands together.

"Hello Sasuke-kun." She chirped rolling her eyes coyly.

Her eyes widened and narrowed in disappointment as Sasuke remained silent. She shuffled her feet nervously and darted off to join the congregation of young girls.

Itachi and Sasuke continued on their pathway through the park. The obnoxious giggling and chatter of the young girls faded in the distance.

"Who was that girl?" Itachi asked as Sasuke slowly ventured away from Itachi's protection.

"Haruno Sakura." Sasuke answered briefly. He quickly changed the subject. "Can you train me today?"

A few days later, Itachi trained alone in the woods away from the Uchiha complex. He slid four shuriken into the spacing between his fingers and prepared to hurl them into the targets before him. Three shuriken were rapidly implanted in the target while the fourth went astray. Itachi lost his focus as he heard a melodic voice singing in the background. He followed the source of the voice and stealthily shielded his body from view as he spotted the pink haired girl kneeling before a tree with her hands clasped in front of her chin.

_Os iusti…meditabitur—sapientiam—_

_Et lingua eius—loqueter indicium—_

The melodic yet haunting voice seemed to draw in Itachi like a whirlpool. He gasped as he saw an aura of two temporal protrusions emanating from the girl's head. He closed his eyes as the girl's chilling singing intensified.

The Uchiha clan had taken over the village by force. Men bearing the Uchiha insignia slit the throats of innocent civilians. Itachi gasped as he saw his own father toss aside the bloody corpse of a young girl like a dilapidated ragdoll. Her cherry blossom pink hair had been streaked with crimson blood. An array of lights streamed from her back straight into the dark, opaque sky above. The light vectors swirled in a circular pattern breaking up the denseness of the ominous clouds above and rained back down on the village like a shower of meteors. Everything was destroyed within mere seconds. Buildings were reduced to rubble and humans to fragments of scattered bone, flesh, and blood. Itachi cried as he witnessed the aftermath. The village and its people disintegrated before his eyes.

Itachi's eyelids fluttered open. A cool wetness chilled the apple of his cheeks. He wiped the tearstain from his cheek and gazed at the singing girl who was still unaware of his presence. She appeared ordinary and her sorrowful song had begun to die down. Itachi returned home and reminisced of the girl's song and the imagery it had provoked.

He could not falter or invoke regrets.

He had to execute the plan.

He had to protect Konoha at all costs.

* * *

She sighed forcefully as she tossed the red flimsy bra across her bedroom. Again it was too small! How could she have gone up a cup size within the period of a few days? At this rate she swore she was going to end up looking like the Godaime! She had already taken the bras from her mother's underwear drawer but what choice did she have? Her mother was simply going to tell her she was just experiencing the wonders of becoming a woman. Team 7 was already eagerly awaiting her arrival at the training grounds and she was still delayed by poorly fitting bras. Bra shopping would have to wait until after the training session was finished. For now she concluded bandages and masking tape would have to serve as a makeshift sports bra. Hopefully.

The pinkette darted through the streets grinding her teeth as her back and chest panged with pain with each footfall. Perhaps she would just stand in the background while the men trained. She tended to serve merely as wallpaper during each confrontation with enemy ninja anyway.

"Yo, Sakura-chan! Where were you?" Her chipper blonde friend waved.

"It's none of your business!" Sakura hissed through her teeth. She hadn't meant for her words to sound so harsh. However, she knew Naruto wasn't the type to take offence at her snippy slipup.

Kakashi ruffled his silver hair with his hand and glanced from Sai to Naruto to Sakura. "Shall we get started?"

Sai and Naruto positioned themselves in a defensive cat stance adjacent from each other. Sakura stared vacantly at the boys. Kakashi cocked an eyebrow taking notice at the glazed expression in her eyes.

_Sakura…Sakura…Sakura…_

What do you want with me?

_Why do you not listen?_

I'm trying my best to keep up.

_You're useless and annoying. _

She crouched down to a squat and clutched her aching cranium. A searing pain shot through her stomach as a sudden pressure felt as though it was crushing her skull. What was this pain? Was her brain trying to burst out of her skull? Who kept trying to speak with her? Why wouldn't they just shut up?

"Kaka-sensei, what is wrong with her?" Naruto and his teammates stood in a semi circle before the kneeling Sakura.

Kakashi tilted his head sideways scrutinizing the agonizing girl.

"Sakura-chan? Are you…" Naruto paused as Sakura mumbled into her knees. She hung her head low allowing her bangs to blanket her eyes. Her head lifted slowly revealing her glazed jade eyes underneath her pink tresses.

Naruto blinked hard and forcefully. A sudden rush of chakra enveloped his body. Red, bubbling chakra oozed from his pores forming the silhouette of the demon fox cloak. Naruto grasped his face with his claws struggling to curb the leak of the kyuubi's chakra.

"Kaka—What's happening?" Naruto seemed to growl his words.

Shit. Kakashi cursed mentally. Did he still have those seals Yamato had given him? He had wasted time with his brooding. Sakura snapped her head upward with a violent arch.

"_Just shut up_!"

Kakashi widened his eye as warm blood coated his skin and clothing. The alarming sight had consequently taken a toll on his rapid reflexes. His young student staggered backwards a few steps and plummeted back-first to the ground with a loud thud.


	2. Genesis

Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto or Elfen Lied. Duh

A/N: Major thank you to those who reviewed! You are awesome. ^^

* * *

The rays of sunlight illuminated her eyelids. Sakura's eyelids lifted slowly yet heavily. She felt a nauseating sensation brew within her abdomen as she stared vacantly at the bland eggshell white walls of a familiar setting.

"Sakura." A feminine voice rattled her from her stupor.

Tsunade grasped Sakura's wrist feeling her pulse with two fingers. Sakura noticed the evident worry written in her amber eyes. "Tsunade-shishou…what's wrong?"

"You attacked Naruto." Kakashi's voice spoke.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut blinking forcefully to restore her field of vision from her groggy state. She recognized the familiar bodies standing around her hospital bed—Kakashi, Naruto, Shizune, and Jiraiya.

"What? But I would never do such a thing to Naruto!" She protested.

Naruto gave a fox-like grin as Sakura's eyes flickered with confusion and remorse. "It's alright, Sakura-chan! It was an accident. Besides, Baa-chan was able to patch me up nice and good."

Naruto's eyes suddenly squinted as he seemed fixated on something. Sakura reeled backward into the headboard of the bed as Naruto leaned his head uncomfortably closer to hers. His face contorted inquisitively while he scrutinized her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sakura pushed his head away with the palm of her hand. "It's not like I sprouted horns or something!"

Shizune glanced to Tsunade then to Jiraiya. Naruto snapped his head back to the adults behind him and laughed nervously. He scratched his head awkwardly and pointed to her cranium. "Um…but there _are_…uhh…horns on your head-ttebayo..." Naruto uttered his usual verbal tic.

"Horns?" Sakura felt her scalp with her fingers. "Ahh! Tsunade-shishou! What's happening to me?"

Tsunade folded her arms across her enormous chest and sighed forcefully. "I was hoping it wasn't true…"

Kakashi glanced up at her but said nothing. Tsunade cleared her throat and continued. "It's an extremely rare trait, a recessive trait, which mutates humans into something else…and it was traced back to the early Haruno lineage. It was thought that this gene had been long cleared out of the human population."

"A gene?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow as he turned to the Godaime. "Is Sakura going to be alright?"

"Let me explain." Jiraiya hushed him immediately. "Pink is not a usual hair color for humans. When you were born, the Yondaime was concerned about your hair color so he consulted me for information regarding the issue. I didn't know much about the mutation other than the obvious phenotypical differences. The Yondaime's worries were quashed when it was apparent that you did not possess horns. We concluded that you were in fact a human and did not pose a threat to the village."

"But how were you certain she was a human and did not contain the gene?" Kakashi stroked his chin brooding with suspicion.

"We weren't. The Yondaime did not give it much thought since he was consumed in the circumstances surrounding Kushina's pregnancy. Girls born without horns were rendered harmless. However, it did not come to mind that those traits could even occur later in life. Truly a genetic anomaly thought to have been eliminated from the gene pool entirely. Such a thing has never occurred before. But now it is evident." Jiraiya's voice penetrated through Sakura's chest like a blade. "You are not human. You are Diclonius."

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. How could she not be human? She had trained all these years to become the first ninja in her family and was capable of using chakra. She was the apprentice of the Godaime. A legendary Sannin!

"None of this information shall travel outside this room, is that understood?" Tsunade stated harshly.

Kakashi and Shizune nodded obediently. Naruto froze stockstill processing the unbelievable information he had just heard. His clenched fist trembled vigorously against his side. "Sakura is still Sakura! She's still a ninja just like the rest of us! Who cares if she has horns on her head? It doesn't change who she is."

Sakura's lips contorted into a weak, grateful smile. Naruto had been labeled a pariah in his earlier years so it was understandable he could empathize with Sakura.

"Naruto." Jiraiya folded his arms. "I understand the kyuubi's chakra leaked out before Sakura attacked you, am I not correct?"

"Well…" Naruto started.

Jiraiya interjected. "The kyuubi must have sensed that something was wrong with Sakura and sought to protect you—or rather protect itself."

"But I didn't witness Sakura physically attacking Naruto or using any kind of jutsu." Kakashi turned to Jiraiya. His students quickly cast their eyes on their sensei.

"Ah, the Diclonius do not use chakra to attack. They seem to use some type of specialized telekinetic ability. They use invisible microvibrations to crush and slash through any solid matter— including bone and flesh. A Diclonius can be just as catastrophic as a bijuu…if not more…Shinobi are incapable of sensing or dodging their attacks."

Tsunade widened her large amber orbs. "What shall we do?"

Jiraiya exchanged glances with Tsunade and gave a nervous grin. "I was hoping you would come up with a solution."

The buxom Hokage rubbed her temples for a moment. She exhaled into the palm of her hand puffing up her cheeks in frustration.

"Sakura, you shall stay with me at the Hokage Tower. You will not participate in any upcoming missions with Team 7 until further notice."

"What?" Naruto protested angrily. "But that's not fair! I want to work with Sakura-chan. I don't want to be left alone with Sai!"

"Naruto, enough!" Kakashi scolded the flustered blonde. "We cannot risk having you or Sakura accidentally hurting each other. Please trust the Godaime's decision."

Sakura wished to protest along side Naruto but she knew Kakashi's words rang true. She already harbored incessant guilt for harming her beloved teammate. She couldn't even comprehend a safe method of learning to control her newfound abilities.

Sakura had always been the balance between Team 7. Fellow Leaf shinobi had raised suspicion upon the Sandaime's decision to place Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto on the same team. Sasuke was the sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre and Naruto was the kyuubi jinchuuriki. Both boys were social pariahs and evidently bitter rivals placed under the effectual tutelage of Hatake Kakashi. Sakura was just a normal girl with no clan, bloodline limit, or reason for Kakashi to focus his attention on her development as a prominent kunoichi. According to the Sandaime, she was the first to become a ninja from the civilian Haruno family. She was intelligent (book wise) and had an affinity for genjutsu and chakra control. However, she did not contain nearly the same amount of chakra, arsenal of jutsus, or strength the boys on her team possessed. She had always faded in the background, outshined by the Uchiha prodigy and the intrepid Uzumaki jinchuuriki. Although she lacked the power and talent to compete with her teammates, Kakashi had always admired her indomitable spirit and affectionate personality. But now, Kakashi questioned whether Sakura's sudden discovery would change the student he had guided and watched mature overtime. Perhaps she had been the one student he had never truly understood.

Sakura grasped her head as the same nauseating pressure reoccurred within her skull. Tsunade nodded to Shizune who quickly drew a needle and syringe from her white coat. The Godaime's assistant uncovered Sakura's catheter and pushed a stronger dose of intravenous sedatives into her system. Sakura closed her eyes as the sedatives slowly carried her to sleep providing refuge from the pain.

* * *

"She's waking up."

"You administered another round of sedatives, am I not correct?"

"She shouldn't be capable of moving or speaking even if she is conscious."

The golden spots and blotches clouding her vision seemed to disappear slowly. Although she fully opened her eyes she could not distinguish anything from the darkness. Two rectangular patches of light glared from the lenses of a pair of glasses. She struggled to move her arm but it remained anchored to the surface of whatever she was laying on. Where was she anyway? She could see the outline of her bare chest and feet. Where were her clothes?

"Ah, welcome Sakura." Her eyes flickered toward a pasty skinned man standing to her right. His yellow eyes illuminated in the darkness. They narrowed into slits as they followed the hand movements of another man.

The man to her left wore a green surgical mask. He brandished a shiny metallic scalpel in front of her eyes. "I'm sorry I had to strip you of your clothes but they were getting in the way."

Sakura struggled to scream but her larynx tingled uncomfortably. They had paralyzed her entire body to prevent her escape. Orochimaru smirked as she merely uttered gurgling noises from her throat.

"You were delivered here courtesy of Danzo. It was about time that man repaid me for the modifications I made to his body." Orochimaru licked his narrow lips with his long tongue. "But that's not important to you now, is it?"

Sakura struggled to relay her emotions to Orochimaru by blinking and staring. He gave a wheezy chuckle as he understood the message reflected in her eyes.

"By the way, little Diclonius…Your parents are dead."


	3. Sacrifice

Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto or Elfen Lied. Duh

A/N: Major thanks to those who reviewed! Things are much easier to write when you know people are reading. ^^ Probably going to bump up the rating on this story. It's gonna get a lil messy.

* * *

Orochimaru grinned as he handed Kabuto a pair of sterilized forceps. "Your parents were eliminated quickly. Simply can't allow tainted blood to exist within the village."

"Do not cry, little Diclonius." Orochimaru covered her eyes with a damp blindfold. "It's a shame these things have to happen but sometimes it's for the better. Now you have some common ground with Sasuke-kun. Doesn't that make you happy?"

Sakura's gurgles increased at the mention of Sasuke's name. She finally managed to vocalize a whimper from the upper region of her throat. Kabuto glanced to Orochimaru and nodded. Orochimaru strapped Sakura's body to the dissecting table as Kabuto triggered a loud drill. Sakura whimpered louder as the sounds of the drill drew closer to her ear. She could feel the small source of heat and the brackish, rusted smell of the rotating motor overwhelm her nostrils.

"Hold still, Sakura."

* * *

The pain kept her from sleeping away her nausea. Her entire head was enveloped in bandages from chin to scalp which only exacerbated the throbbing pain in her skull and mandible. Kabuto had mentioned something about taking a sample from the pineal gland and examining a cross section underneath the microscope. He also spoke of Orochimaru's next experiment which involved studying her brain wave patterns. She was in too much pain to use her vectors or chakra to retaliate. She was blinded and restrained, confined within a small steel cage like an exotic animal at the zoo. Kabuto ignored her sobs and whimpers keeping himself occupied in investigating the cells and tissue samples he had extracted from her body.

"Sakura, I have a proposal for you." Orochimaru entered the lab.

Sakura lifted her head in the direction of his voice.

"If you continue being a good girl for my little research project I will allow you to visit with Sasuke-kun. However, if you do not cooperate with me there will be dire consequences. Should you turn on me or Kabuto I will force you watch the possession of the Uchiha you love so much. Remember, Sasuke came here on his own accord and you know that is true. He will hate you for hindering with his goal of attaining power if you were to harm his sensei. Consider my proposal, Sakura."

She had longed to see Sasuke for three years since he had defected from Konoha. She longed to see those onyx eyes and that untamed spiky raven hair. She inhaled parting her lips open and cocked her head upward in pure ecstasy as her aural memories resonated with the sound of his sultry voice. The pain of the experimentation was insufferable but it was insignificant compared to the hope that burned within her chest for the opportunity to see Sasuke once again.

Orochimaru repeated himself. "Will you cooperate with me?"

A whimper resounded from Sakura's throat as she nodded affirmatively.

"Very well." Orochimaru clasped his hand together. "Prepare the electrodes and set her up for the EEG."

Sakura was allowed a moment of comfort with the EEG. It did not require sedatives or agonizing drugs for its utilization. She wasn't too particularly fond of the network of electrodes crammed on her scalp but it was the least of her complaints. She fell asleep to the faint sounds of Kabuto working in the lab configuring the EEG to record her neurological activity.

Sasuke ventured down the hallway into the laboratory. A sudden burst of muggy air blasted through the door as he vigorously entered the musty smelling lab. He quickly pushed his way toward Kabuto's workspace and rested his sword on his shoulder.

"Where is Orochimaru?" Sasuke demanded.

Kabuto focused on the EEG machine ignoring the urgent tone in Sasuke's voice. "Orochimaru is busy. I see you've been off training."

Sasuke wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at a strange figure adjacent to Kabuto's workspace. He stepped toward the steel cage and scrutinized the naked feminine figure fastened in restraints. It wore a steel helmet over its head and face which attached to a messy web of wiring connected to Kabuto's machine.

"What the hell is that?" Sasuke scowled at the sight of the nude, pale skinned subject.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun. That is a Diclonius. It is a rare mutation that is much more powerful than a human." Kabuto pushed the frame of his glasses up his nose.

"Hn. More powerful than a human?" Sasuke furrowed his brow. "And what makes it worth Orochimaru's time?"

"A Diclonius is said to be as powerful as a bijuu if not more. However, unlike a bijuu it does not use chakra. The Diclonius gene was long wiped out by generations of human breeding. This Diclonius is unique even among her own species. Her ancestors were simply modifications of humans who did not possess chakra. However, this Diclonius is capable of using chakra. I would've never thought a live, viable Diclonius even existed anymore."

"Orochimaru had arranged to train me this morning. It's almost nightfall." Sasuke evidently ignored the fascination in Kabuto's lecture. "Tell Orochimaru my patience is wearing thin."

Sasuke quickly departed and headed back to his quarters. Kabuto released a forceful sigh and continue his neurological investigation.

* * *

Sakura howled in agony as a shuriken embedded itself in her bare shoulder. Her body dangled limply against the freezing concrete wall. She struggled against the chain restraints fastening her wrists against the wall but to no avail. Warm blood oozed down her brow into the wedges of her eyelids. The small crimson droplets dripped from the tips of her eyelashes into her eyes and down the apples of her cheeks.

"Please! Stop! I can't take it anymore!" Her screamed words echoed against the walls. "Please…"

"You know we won't stop until you start defending yourself." Orochimaru stated harshly. He looked to Kabuto and nodded.

The silver haired shinobi hurled another shuriken into her abdomen. The young Diclonius yelped vociferously as the metal weapon lodged itself near her navel. Her limbs trembled violently rattling the metal restraints securing her against the wall.

"We've been at this for an hour. She is bound to pass out soon." Kabuto pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Hm…" The serpent-like man scrutinized the Diclonius whose screams had finally eased to whimpering. "We will have to up the game."

Subsequently, Sakura found herself in the center of a dark prison cell. She was at least mobile but her bloodied wrists were bound together by a tight-fitting pair of handcuffs. Orochimaru and Kabuto observed her from behind a glass viewing area. Sakura glanced backward at the pair of men unbeknownst of the opponents closing in on her from the darkness of the cell. A group of haggard men formed a semi circle around her. Their skin was patterned with the black markings of what Sakura recalled was the cursed seal that had plagued Sasuke during the Chuunin exams. She winced at the sight of their piercing yellow eyes and black sclera drawing closer toward her. A single subject lunged at her with its claw-like appendages targeting her throat. Instinctively, she shielded her eyes with her bound wrists and staggered backwards. It was an annoying idiosyncrasy she had always possessed when it came to dodging attacks. The Godaime had frequently scolded her for covering her face when on the defensive during their training sessions. Sakura mentally cursed, ashamed of her ineffectual dodging habits while the rest of Orochimaru's subjects cackled like wild hyenas at the sight of fresh blood.

Sakura struggled to rise to her feet without the use of her hands for balance. A swift kick slammed her straight into the wall. She uttered a desperate cry as she curled in a defensive fetal position. The tallest subject hoisted her into the air by the throat. He flashed an ominous grin revealing the checkered pattern of his black and yellow teeth. His breath reeked of a foul stench which unnervingly overwhelmed Sakura's sensitive nostrils. She sniveled loudly choking as the subject tightened his grasp.

"Why do you not fight back? I thought you wanted to see Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru mocked with his wheezy laugh. "Do you think he wants to see a weak crybaby like you?"

She had already sacrificed her body to Orochimaru's experimental trials for the sake of seeing her beloved Uchiha. What would he think of her if he saw her like this—a sniveling mess of blood, bruises, and tears?

_You're annoying_. Sasuke's voice resonated in her throbbing skull.

_You're nothing but a burden._

Stop it. Just stop it!

_You're nothing but a weak crybaby._

_You want to help me on my quest for revenge? You'd only hold me back. _

Please…It's too much to bear…

His voice, the cackling of the subjects, Orochimaru's wheezy laugh…Their intermingling voices echoed in her head loudly like a busy street littered with obnoxious people. She wanted to silence them all immediately. She wanted to quell the hurt and torture they were inflicting on her. Now!

"_Shinde_!*" Sakura's voice hissed ominously.

Orochimaru and Kabuto shielded their defensively with their arms as the glass window shattered scattering fragmented glass in their direction. The tiny fragments clanged to the concrete floor emitting a cascading noise like the sound of a wind chime. The pink haired Diclonius kneeled on the edge of the cell on her hands and knees panting vigorously. Her soft pink hair was stained in dripping red blood. Her pale porcelain skin was soaked from her head down to her torso in the warm crimson fluid. She rubbed her eyes clearing her vision from the red cloudiness. Dismembered bodies littered the floor of the cell. The Diclonius was barricaded by scattered fragments of bone and flesh. Once living and breathing creatures were reduced to the fleshy matter of their composition.

Sakura's back heaved violently as she vomited on the floor. Her stomach had previously been hardened to the sickly sight of human blood and tissue during her days of training with the Godaime to acquire her skills in medical jutsu. But this was too much. This was beyond gruesome… All she had ever wanted was to help and heal people. Why was she suddenly cursed with this ghastly power?

Orochimaru licked his lips unfazed by the blood bath beyond the viewing area. "Kabuto, I want her power."

* * *

Sakura rested in her cell inside the laboratory. She was given a strong dose of sedatives to assuage her hysteria.

"What have you determined?"

Kabuto pushed his glasses up with his finger and turned the lamp off the microscope. "Her powers are strictly restricted to her DNA and brain structure. They cannot be transferred like the Shodai's powers or the sharingan."

"Then I will absorb her body." Orochimaru concluded.

"What about Sasuke?"

"This creature holds more potential to benefiting me than the Uchiha." Orochimaru licked his finger brooding in deep thought. "On the other hand, I can acquire both the abilities of the Diclonius and Uchiha. I will simply transfer the sharingan to my new body."

Sasuke stood behind the slightly ajar door to the laboratory to eavesdrop on the conversation without detection. He folded his arms across his chest and quietly slipped back upstairs.

Sakura trembled within her restraints as she felt the pangs of pain and nausea creep back to her body. She shifted uncomfortably as the strong sedatives began to subside. Kabuto had left the steel helmet on to protect the network of electrodes. Sakura deduced he was planning to do another EEG the next day.

_B__-Bea…tus vir... qui s-s-suffert tent…antionem…_

Her voice trembled with each syllable as the pain wracked her stomach.

_Q-Quoniam…cum pro…b-b-bates…fuerit…_

The soft whispers of her voice came to a hush. Her focus on singing had successfully distracted her from the agony and lulled her into a slumber.

Kabuto shut off the lamp illuminating Sakura's cell and prepared to depart the laboratory. The steel door of Sakura's cell squeaked loudly catching Kabuto's attention. A cloaked figure carried the body of the young Diclonius bridal style.

"Who's there?" Kabuto hollered.

The intruder remained silent as Kabuto rushed toward the cell door.

"Stop!" Kabuto quickly clasped his hands together in preparation for a hand seal.

He shielded his eyes as a pungent smoke erupted in the laboratory. Kabuto mentally cursed to himself as the smoke began to quickly dissipate. Detached electrode cables littered the flooring of Sakura's cell. He had reacted too late. Orochimaru's prized possession was already gone.

* * *

*_shinde_ means "die" in Japanese.


	4. Sanctuary

"A cat? You brought us a cat? I waited all this time for Sasori no Danna to return just to see this?"

"Quiet. You'll wake her."

Sakura slowly lifted her eyelids open. Her long lasting pain had finally subsided allowing her to stretch out her arms and yawn comfortably. She rubbed her eyelids and glanced at her new surroundings. She was lying naked under a soft down comforter in some kind of bedroom…with six men standing around her?

Sakura shrieked as she gaped at the six unfamiliar men all dressed in the same uniform—the black and red cloak of the Akatsuki.

"I still don't understand why we're here, yeah." A blonde scowled folding his arms against his chest.

Itachi widened his eyes as a translucent non-corporeal figure began to form in the shape of an arm extending from Sakura's back. The transparent hand curled its fingers and lunged straight for the blonde Akatsuki. Itachi seized the collar of Deidara's cloak and hurled his shorter body across the room in one swift motion. Another vector shot immediately in Itachi's direction. He dived onto the bed and pressed two fingers into Sakura's large brow. A stream of blood oozed from his temple onto the pale down comforter. The patterning of his mangekyou sharingan spun wildly in his deep red eyes. Sakura squirmed uncomfortably underneath the weight of the Uchiha. His face had drawn awkwardly close to her own. She blinked forcefully as he slid off the bed and gave a sigh of relief.

"What did you do to me?" Sakura cried out.

Itachi wiped the blood from his temple with the sleeve of his cloak. "I disabled your power."

"Goddamn Uchiha! What the hell was that for?" Deidara hissed staggering back to his feet.

The rest of the Akatsuki men exchanged glances, bewilderment evidently written in their faces.

"Mind explaining what that was about?" Kisame scratched the crown of his head as he glanced from Deidara to Itachi.

"Her powers cannot be detected by shinobi. But she is no longer a threat for the meanwhile."

Hidan brandished his triple bladed scythe causing her to wince backward. "So she's some kind of demon."

Itachi shook his head. "No, she is a Diclonius."

"What the hell is that?" Hidan scrutinized the frightful pink haired girl.

"It's a mutation. Her powers do not utilize chakra."

"Interesting." Sasori stroked his chin inquisitively.

"Looks more like a demon bitch to me." The silver haired Akatsuki slung his scythe over his right shoulder.

"No, she looks more like a cat, yeah." Deidara interjected.

Sakura immediately retorted. "I'm not a cat!"

Kisame grinned at the flustered girl. "Sorry but I forgot my kitty litter back in Suna."

"Heh, just don't unravel Kakuzu's threads or he'll kill you, yeah."

Kakuzu flashed a dirty look at the smug Deidara. His small, beady green eyes narrowed in pure irritation.

"Why am I the spectacle here? Your lot isn't exactly the normal type." Her eyes flickered from Kisame to Kakuzu to Deidara. "Not with a shark, a scarecrow, and a transvestite."

Deidara covered his mouth partially with his hand and snickered to Sasori. "Hehe, she just called Uchiha a tranny."

"So why did you have Sasori retrieve this thing anyway? And why are we here?" Kakuzu furrowed his brow. Sakura instinctively scowled when he uttered the word "thing."

"She is a valuable asset to our achieving our goals. Not only does she possess the inhuman powers of a Diclonius but she can also serve as a medic-nin. Am I not mistaken?" Itachi's eyes flashed toward Sakura.

This man knew too much about her. This fact conjured an unsettling twinge within her gut. She scowled back at him indicating her evident disapproval.

"We do not seek to harm you, that is unless you merit it." The tone of his voice harshly descended. "At least one member is to keep her company at all times…and no member outside of this room is to know of her presence."

"Even Tobi?" Deidara cocked his head slightly sideways.

"Yes."

"I'm sure he would be the type to appreciate having a new pet." Deidara gave a slight laugh to himself. "But then again that kid would be too irresponsible. He'd probably forget to feed her, yeah."

"Tobi is too much of a blabbermouth. He would probably rat on us and tell Pein that we stole Orochimaru's cat." Kisame gave a toothy grin as he leaned his massive sword against the corner of the wall. "Besides, shouldn't we introduce ourselves to our new pet?"

Itachi's long hand swept through the air in a crescent shape panning across the line up of men. "This is Hidan, Kakuzu, Sasori, Deidara, Kisame, and I'm…"

"I already know your name!" Sakura hissed abrasively. "You're Sasuke's brother…the Uchiha clan butcher!"

She was hoping she would incite a reaction from the Uchiha but his countenance remained stolid. She yanked the comforter closer to her chest and retreated slightly under the security of the blanket. "Where am I?"

"This house is located on the outskirt of Amegakure just outside of Pein's barrier. Kisame and I frequently use this house as a rendezvous point and resting ground during long missions."

Sakura didn't reply as she contemplated her options. She was unable to use her powers or even stand a minute chance of fighting the group of S-classed criminals. They could easily kill her but instead they had provided her with temporary sanctuary. At least she hoped. But she wasn't out of trouble yet. What where they planning to do with her? They obviously were seeking to exploit her newfound powers somehow. Perhaps she could turn the tables and concoct a way to exploit them. Itachi _was_ the sole target of Sasuke's principal obsession. She would certainly gain reacceptance into her homeland if she could defeat the Akatsuki...or more realistically, at least spy on them. Maybe this situation was truly a blessing in disguise.

"Um…do I at least get some clothes?" A bright cherry blush painted Sakura's pale, round cheeks.

She avoided eye contact with the six men as they simultaneously glanced at Sasori.

"Don't you usually dress your puppets?" Kakuzu inquired.

"Hm." Sasori mumbled apathetically. "I may have something back at the base."

Itachi departed the bedroom momentarily. He returned carrying a graying oversized t-shirt with the Uchiha insignia stitched onto the back.

He tossed the shirt onto the comforter of the bed as the rest of the men disbanded from the bedroom. "We'll give you a moment of privacy."

The t-shirt draped Sakura's body like a dress. She wasn't too particularly fond of wearing the Uchiha crest on her back nonetheless one of Itachi's possessions. She ventured outside the bedroom to observe the strange group's activities within the living room. Most of the men lie on sheets and blankets sprawled out on the hardwood flooring while the others crashed on the couches and watched TV. They almost seemed normal for an organization of S-classed criminals. Sort of… No longer interested in their mundane activity, she retreated back to the bedroom.

Hidan tossed and turned beneath his sheets as an annoying, redundant sound suddenly woke him.

"Lower…lower…lower…"

Hidan instantly sat up and oriented his head toward the source of the noise. Deidara drooled as he felt a pleasurable sensation suddenly arouse him.

"What the fuck are you babbling about at this hour?" Hidan hissed at the blonde.

Deidara sat upright staring down at his half unbuttoned pajamas. A mysterious force was slowly undoing the buttoning of his pajamas from collar to waist exposing his bare chest. "Check it out. Some kinda horny ghost is undressing me, yeah."

"Horny ghost?" Kisame cocked his eyebrow. He suddenly leaned in closer toward Deidara and beamed. "When's my turn with the ghost?"

"You don't get a turn! You're too strangely colored!" Deidara shoved Kisame's forehead backward with the palm of his hand.

Kisame sighed in a downcast manner. Deidara had touched on his most sensitive insecurity.

Kakuzu peered over the ledge of the sofa as it inexplicably hovered right below the ceiling. "Kisame, you should've warned us ahead of time this house was haunted."

Sasori leapt to his feet as the light bulb of lamp beside him sprayed glass in his direction. Hidan retrieved his triple bladed scythe and jumped to his feet ready to attack the intrusive ghost.

"Show yourself, evil spirit! In the name of Jashin, I'll fucking destroy you!" The silver haired Akatsuki brandished his scythe slashing the air wildly.

The Akatsuki men dodged the swing of the triple bladed scythe as Hidan hacked the air in an arbitrary manner.

"Hidan, enough!" Itachi's voice silenced the hysteric Jashinist. The tomoe of his sharingan began to form the distinctive pattern of the mangekyo sharingan. He stifled a gasp as he spotted dozens of the ethereal hands emerging from the bedroom. They had scattered around the living room area floating listlessly in the air. "It's Sakura."

Itachi and Kisame opened her bedroom door to find her stirring vigorously in her sleep. Although she trembled and twitched beneath the security of the down comforter, her pale face emanated a nuance of serenity.

"I wonder what she's dreaming about?" Kisame laughed.

Unamused by Kisame's dull humor, Itachi observed the sleep-ridden Diclonius as she muttered something barely intelligible. He pressed two fingers against her forehead causing her lips to open slightly. Undisturbed by his actions, she continued breathing deeply and evenly. The comforter rose in fell in rhythmic intervals synchronized with the expansion and relaxation of her diaphragm.

Itachi and Kisame simultaneously whipped their heads around in surprise. A loud crash rattled the living room accompanied by the sound of Kakuzu's irate cursing.

"Hey! It was just starting to get good, yeah!" Deidara's complaints resonated from the living room.

Itachi flipped on her bedroom lights revealing the erratically scattered handprint marks on the bedroom walls and ceiling. Kisame gaped at the mystifying mess of hand-shaped imprints her vectors had created. Itachi flipped off the lights enveloping the bedroom in darkness. He and Kisame departed the bedroom closing the door gently as not to wake Sakura. Itachi brooded during his retreat to the living room. He would have to intervene immediately before the circumstances could inevitably become too dangerous.


	5. Reconnaissance

A/N: I know…short chapter. You'll get juicier stuff next chapter. I promise! ^^

* * *

The Akatsuki men rose like zombies from the grave as a sweet aroma filled the living room. Sakura gave a sweet smile setting the tray of tantalizing cinnamon rolls on the dining table. Deidara and Hidan shoved each other like feuding siblings as they raced toward the table. They widened their eyes gazing upon the delectable meal—fresh pancakes, dumplings, colorful fruit, everything they could possibly ask for!

"Ohayou gozaimasu." Sakura smiled serenely pouring hot, oozing maple syrup on the banquet prepared before their eyes.

"Holy shit! How much syrup are you going to pour?" Hidan contorted his face in disappointment. "You ruined it!"

"I did not ruin it!" Sakura retorted as she continued to drench the pastries in the thick, sticky syrup.

Deidara snatched the bottle of syrup from her hand. "Don't get the idea you can murder us with sugar, yeah."

Sakura scowled at the blonde effeminate Akatsuki while the rest of the men joined the table. Sakura blinked forcefully glancing at one vacant chair remaining at the table. "Where's Sasori?"

"Sasori does not need to eat. He turned himself into a puppet." Kisame attempted to scrape the excess syrup from his cinnamon roll. He deemed the soggy cinnamon roll a lost cause and reached for an apple instead.

Hidan gagged as he chewed the edge off a dumpling. "Gah! Your cooking sucks!"

Sakura glared daggers into the silver haired man's skull. How dare he insult her culinary efforts! She had awakened prompt and early to toil in the kitchen while those idiots slumbered. Such ingratitude! Perhaps they had a woman or maid to cook for their organization. She couldn't fancy such men making their own meals anyway given their pretentious manners.

* * *

"Naruto, slow down!" Kakashi's voice lingered behind the determined blonde shinobi.

Naruto leapt from branch to branch in a swift pace leaving behind his comrades. He halted abruptly pivoting on the ball of his foot to face the rest of the group. "What's keeping you guys? We have to find Sakura-chan!"

The chuunin of Team 8 followed behind Kakashi and Yamato. Naruto scowled as Sai lingered behind the rest of the formation. "Why are you holding us up?"

Sai exhibited an awkward smile but said nothing. Naruto cocked his eyebrow as he studied the pasty-skinned shinobi's strange mannerisms.

"You haven't said a thing since Sakura's disappearance." Naruto folded his arms against his chest.

"Let's keep going." Yamato interjected.

Kakashi glanced from Sai to Naruto. Although Sai was nowhere near as noisy as Naruto, the kid did pose a valid point. Sai had not spoken a word since Sakura's disappearance. Sai was not the expressive type yet his impassiveness did seem to conjure suspicion.

"Tell us the truth. What do you know of Sakura?" Naruto leapt before Sai's face. Sai maintained his composure as Naruto clenched his hands into fists.

Sai exhaled and finally broke his silence. "I do not know anything of Sakura."

Naruto's hostile glare emitted a nuance of uneasiness amongst Team 8. He suddenly snatched up the collar of Sai's shirt and hissed in the pale boy's face. "You better confess or I'll make you talk!"

"I have no business telling you anything."

Hinata gasped as Naruto's fist contacted with Sai's jaw. Sai rubbed his jaw gingerly recalling Sakura's dynamic punch during their first meeting. Hinata's eyes widened in horror as Naruto repeatedly punched his own comrade.

"That's enough!" Kakashi trapped the angry blonde in an armlock. He spoke to Sai in a descending tone of voice. "If you know anything of Sakura it would be wise to speak now."

Sai took a step backward as the weight of everyone's eyes placed him in a discomfited position. "I can't say."

"Why not?" Naruto hissed thrashing in Kakashi's strong hold.

"I literally cannot say anything."

His comrades stared in utter shock at the strange pattern embedded in the back of his tongue. Danzo must've placed a protective seal on him to prevent him from releasing any information, Kakashi deduced. Danzo and his organization must have played a hand in Sakura's disappearance but where was she located? Kakashi released Naruto from his hold as he turned to Yamato.

"Our best bet would be to scout for information at the village." Kakashi stated.

Yamato nodded in agreement and brandished his hand reinstating Team 8 back in formation.

Sai rubbed his hands glancing back at Naruto. "That woman is no longer Konoha's problem."

Within a matter of seconds, Naruto's fist connected with Sai's jaw once again.

* * *

"There is no way I'm wearing that!" Sakura cried out defiantly.

Sasori held up Hiruko's cloak on his arm like a coat rack. "Would you rather spar in just a t-shirt? Make your decision."

Sakura attempted to pull the oversized t-shirt further down her thighs. She grimaced at the thought of exposing herself in front of everyone and sighed in defeat. "Fine but after this you're buying me real clothes!"

She stood before the Jashinist outside the small, secluded house. He brandished his scythe mockingly as the rest of the Akatsuki men spectated the sparring match.

"Why Hidan? I'll spar with her and show her what true art is, yeah!" Deidara complained.

Itachi shook his head. "Only Hidan can do this."

Deidara glared crossly at the Uchiha clearly offended by his lack of faith in Deidara's abilities.

"I gotta fight this lil bitch? What's so special about her?" Hidan laughed as he lifted his scythe.

Sakura backed up keeping on the defensive. "Why this guy?"

Sakura flew backwards as she shielded her face with her hands. Hidan laughed as he repeatedly slashed the air with his scythe. She shrieked as the scythe sliced in a fluid arc through her abdomen. Hidan flipped the scythe and licked the sopping blood blanketing the blade.

"Don't kill her." Itachi stated firmly.

Hidan spat irritatedly. "Why not? She's simply a heathen."

Sakura punched the ground ripping up the earth beneath her. Hidan easily dodged her slow, lagging chakra laced punches.

"Aren't you gonna kill me or are you too weak? You're just an _annoying_ lil bitch." Hidan laughed loudly as he slowly cornered her using the length of the triple bladed scythe.

She swallowed forcefully desperately trying to ease her panic ridden mind. She would simply immobilize him with her vectors. She would just pin his feet to the ground and prevent him from attacking. Two non-corporal hands streamed fluidly from her back toward Hidan's feet. She sighed in relief as the immobilized Akatsuki cursed loudly.

Rip!

The deafening screams of Hidan penetrated her ears. To Sakura's horror, his right leg had detached from the knee. Blood erupted from the stub that was his knee as the silver haired man howled in agony. Sakura felt the blood rapidly drain from her face. The sickly sight of the dismembered leg distracted her from the now hopping one-legged Hidan.

She buried her eyes into the sleeve of the Akatsuki cloak and sobbed frantically. "Stay away from me!"

The Akatsuki men leapt backwards as an explosion of flesh and blood splattered in their direction. Sakura felt a warm liquid sodden the thick material of the Akatsuki cloak she sported.

"WHAHAHAHAHA!" Hidan laughed hysterically. "You really are a demon with those horns!"

His head rolled out from behind the rest of his body. She screamed vociferously as his decapitated head continued laughing hysterically. Her loud screaming began to quickly take a toll on her aching throat. She collapsed to her knees sobbing uncontrollably into the palms of her hands.

"So this is why Hidan was chosen for this, yeah." Deidara contorted his face. "She can make people explode too."

"Sakura, Hidan, enough!" Itachi demanded.

Sakura continued snivleing into her hands. Itachi grasped her hand and stared her sternly in the face. "Sakura, Hidan is immortal. He was specifically chosen to train with you for this reason so you can learn to control your power."

She did not cry for the masochistic Akatsuki. She had been cursed with this disgusting power she could not control. She just wanted to be normal again. Just plain, ordinary Sakura…

* * *

The atmosphere of the village seemed as if it were trapped underneath an everlasting cloak of cold rain. The feral eyed serpent stood before an orange, spiky haired man ornamented in facial piercings. "I believe you have something that belongs to me…and I want it back."

"Hmph." The man uttered indifferently. The circular disks of his eyes flickered as his brow furrowed in contempt. "I expected your insatiable greed would lead you here eventually."


	6. Acquaintance

"You're a shitty cook! What kinda maid do you think you are?" Hidan's voice hollered through the living room.

"A maid? You think I'm your maid?" Sakura's face burned a bright shade of red.

Hidan hopped in the air trying to catch something in his hand. His scythe hovered in the air beyond his reach. "Give it back you bitch! I'll kill you!"

Kisame leaned against the wall lazily grinning. "Koneko, you'd better give it back. I wouldn't take Hidan's threats too lightly if I were you."

Hidan cursed furiously as the hovering blade suddenly fell to the ground. The sound of the clanging blades resonated in the hallway. Sakura slowly turned her head to Kisame and blinked forcefully. "What did you just call me? My name is Sakura!"

"Hm…a suiting name. After the color of your hair I assume."

Sakura rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "I get that a lot."

She folded her arms and sat cross legged on the sofa. "I'm so bored…I don't even remember what the outside world looks like anymore. Will you take me out?"

Kisame slung his enormous wrapped sword over his shoulder. "Sorry, Koneko. My turn's almost over. Sasori and Deidara should be starting their shift soon. You should ask them."

Sakura buried her face into her hands and deliberately sighed loudly. "I have a feeling they're going to take their sweet time getting here…"

"Cheer up, kid. I have to admit…your presence here has made everybody a bit…well lazy." Kisame beamed at the pouting girl.

* * *

A blue haired woman rushed to the entrance of the base as a loud collision rattled the walls. She brushed the tresses from her face and halted next to the ornamented man. "Nagato!"

"Stay out of this, Konan." Pein instructed the worried woman.

Orochimaru gave a wheezy cackle slowly staggering back to his feet. He cracked the sides of his neck in two divided motions never breaking his focus on Pein's eyes. "I'm not leaving until I reclaim what is mine. I should've killed you a long time ago if I had known you would be a nuisance to me now."

"You defected from the Akatsuki on your own accord. What makes you think you can intrude on our grounds now?"

"You know very well why I'm here. I stayed out of your affairs until you impeded on my own."

Konan glanced up at his piercing ridden face. His countenance remained stolid yet defiant. "The retrieval of the bijuu has been a collaborative effort. Your conceited effort to claim what is ours is preposterous."

"I never stated I wanted the bijuu."

"Then why are you here?"

Orochimaru's pupils narrowed into cat-like slits. "I came to retrieve something of greater value than the bijuu. I want my Diclonius back."

Tobi and Zetsu spectated the confrontation from behind the entrance walls. Tobi scratched the crown of his head in confusion and looked to Zetsu for answers. "Zetsu, what is a Diclomish?"

Zetsu glanced from Tobi then back to the scene occurring at the base entrance. "Hm, never heard of that word. **How should we know?**"

"What is he talking about?" Konan questioned the Akatsuki leader.

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with what you're requesting." He answered Orochimaru bluntly. "I have never heard of such a thing."

Orochimaru scowled in disbelief. "Don't attempt to deceive me. My subject, a pink-haired girl with horns, was stolen from my laboratory by one of your members."

"The Akatsuki is already fully occupied capturing the bijuu. We have no interest in any of your lab experiments."

Orochimaru took a step forward. "Heed my words, Pein. I am well aware of your intentions and aspirations. The Diclonius will undoubtedly jeopardize your vision of peace if she is not returned to me."

Orochimaru's harsh words evoked a chilling sensation underneath the surface of Konan's skin. Pein merely stood his ground unfazed by the serpent's threats. He had to quickly conjure a new plan to retrieve the Diclonius before she could fall into enemy hands. The Akatsuki watched as he vanished in a wispy puff of dark smoke.

Tobi grasped his short, dark hair in his fingers. "This Diclomish thing sounds scary!"

"Greater value than a bijuu? **We want to see this thing now**." Zetsu replied as Pein slammed the front entrance shut.

* * *

"Quit your screaming! Are you trying to deafen me?"

Sakura screamed loudly as she tightly embraced Deidara's waist. "Slow down!"

"I'm not going very fast!" Deidara shouted back. "You're just a coward, yeah!"

She inhaled a big gulp of air as she glanced down at the ground. The earth below almost reminded her of a quilt sewn with different varieties of green and brown patches. She didn't appreciate the wind violently whipping her pink locks or flapping the red ribbons worn around her horns. Damn her curiosity! She was granted the option of remaining land-bound with Sasori or riding with Deidara. Now she admitted she wasn't too particularly fond of riding on top of his clay bird.

"Don't look down." Deidara reminded her. He stared vacantly ahead and spoke again. "Can you do that thing again?"

"What thing?"

"That thing you did the other night, yeah."

Sakura flushed bright red. "What? Sleeping? Because I don't remember doing anything else!"

Deidara glanced back at her as she folded her arms. "Hmph. You're no fun, yeah."

"Stop saying that!"

"Saying what, yeah?"

"That!"

"What, yeah?"

"Stop saying 'yeah' at the end of your sentences. It's annoying!" Sakura snapped at him.

"I can't help it…"

"Well I can't control some things either so don't harp on me about it!"

Deidara rolled his eyes in defeat. "So do you use invisible bombs or something? I don't quite get that power of yours, yeah."

"No. They're hands. I don't know how to explain it very well."

"Hands, hmm." Deidara smirked as he held up the palms of his hands. His mouths grinned and licked their slick teeth in unison.

Sakura shrieked at the mouths embedded in his palms. "Gross!"

"They are not gross, yeah!" Deidara frowned deeply as he quickly pulled his sleeves over his hands.

"They are incredibly gross! That's just weird."

"Your horns are weird!"

"Hey, don't make fun of my horns!"

"Then don't call my hands gross, yeah."

"I won't call your hands gross if you don't call my horns weird."

"Fine." Deidara folded his arms and stuck his nose up in the air unwilling to let his obstinate personality come to a mutual consensus.

Finally they had reached a small but developed village. Deidara sighed in relief hoping this discovery would cease any further bickering with the pinkette. Sakura disembarked the clay bird and ran beside Sasori. She hoped the reserved puppet master would curb the obnoxious blonde. The trio strolled through the village marketplace intermingling with the crowd of civilians. Sakura widened her eyes as a sweet aroma caught her attention.

"Where is Koneko?" Sasori suddenly halted.

Deidara snapped his head left to right. "She was just walking with us a second ago, yeah."

Sakura stared wide-eyed at the brightly colored sherbet behind a glass enclosure. Deidara spotted the conspicuous pink haired girl and tapped her shoulder.

"Mind not running off on us?" He threw her an agitated look. She pressed the palms of her hand up against the glass peering at the sweets desirably. He tapped her again as she deliberately ignored him. "Hello, are you…?"

He forced a sigh and reached for his pocket. "Haven't you had enough sugar?"

Sakura licked her strawberry ice cream off the cone contentedly as she and Deidara regrouped with Sasori. The trio continued down the long stretch of public road passing by small shops and vendors. Sakura diverted from the trio once again as she spotted a vibrantly colored clothing store. Finally! Her sanctuary from her masculine penitentiary! She could finally wear something other than Itachi's old shirt and pair of khaki shorts. She raced from rack to rack snatching up brightly colored shirts, skirts, and dresses. Finally she reached the lingerie section. She could pick up where she left off when she had vowed to buy a fitting bra in Konoha. Something suddenly prevented her from taking another step forward. Threads of blue chakra clung to her arms and legs.

"Do I have to keep you on a leash?" Sasori smirked as he and Deidara emerged from behind a clothing rack.

No! No! No! Sakura mentally complained. Why did they have to discover her now? Deidara searched through her bags and grimaced at her clothing selection.

"You have a terrible taste in fashion." He grimaced as he dropped a red shirt to the ground.

Sasori held a shirt in front of her torso. "Teal looks much better on you. Matches the eyes."

"I like the look of this dress. Gives more shape to your curves, yeah."

Sakura felt sickly lightheaded. Were these notorious, brutal, S-classed criminals giving her fashion advice? Ino would've certainly seized the opportunity to find humor in this situation. Hell, she would mock Sakura senselessly if she heard of such a thing! She heard Sasori and Deidara debate about modern art and something called superflat. She mentally deafened herself to their conversation as she stared at the lingerie section longingly. Goddamn Sasori and his chakra threads!

"What are you whimpering about?" Deidara cocked an eyebrow as Sakura eyed the brightly colored underwear like a hungry puppy.

Sakura smirked to herself and darted toward the lingerie. Sasori widened his eyes as his wooden fingers fell to the ground scattering around his feet. Sasori retrieved his dismembered fingers and popped them back inside the sockets of his meticulously crafted hand. "Clever Koneko. She cut off my fingers to free herself."

Sakura protested as the Akatsuki duo dragged her outside the store. She was at least able to buy the clothing she desperately needed…and coax the men into buying her more sugary snacks for the kitchen pantry. Deidara dropped her off at the house after their long outing. Inwardly, Sakura wished to spend more time with the artistic Akatsuki partners. The weather was soothingly pleasant and she wished to spend time under the spring skies with the company of another…even if it did have to be the abrasive Hidan. She entered the abode discovering Itachi outstretched on the living room sofa. She had forgotten it was currently his turn to keep her company while the rest of the members were out at work. Itachi turned his head to catch a glimpse of her new outfit. She wore a little tight black dress, knee high boots, and red ribbons in her hair. The dress accentuated her petite yet curvaceous figure radiating a sense of maturity although she still maintained her cute charm. She folded Itachi's clothing and set it on the arm of the sofa. Itachi scowled inwardly as she retreated to her bedroom. Sakura did not associate with him the way she did with the other Akatsuki members. She was often silent and secluded away in her room in his presence. He didn't dare disturb her but he did wish she would at least engage in simple conversation with him. Perhaps it was simply wishful thinking. He _was_ responsible for the way Sasuke behaved and his obsession of revenge.

* * *

The snake sannin stood before a semi circle of four youths—a silver haired shark-like boy, a tall orange-haired giant, a glasses adorning girl with devil red hair, and the Uchiha prodigy.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes panning across the young shinobi standing before him. "Your mission is to retrieve the Diclonius. Do not disappoint me."


	7. Reunion

"What's in the basket?" Kisame poked his nose above Sakura's shoulder.

"The weather is beautiful. I want to go out for a picnic!" Sakura smiled sweetly as she placed a checkered sheet over the top of the basket.

"Sorry but you know I can't." Kisame nodded his head.

Sakura cupped a long bottle in her arms and shook the liquid tantalizingly. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"

"Where did you get that sake?" Kisame widened his small, beady eyes. He sighed in defeat and rested his hand on his brow. "You know you've been very successful in distracting us. Am I not correct?"

Kisame did pose a valid point. The Akatsuki members did tend to linger at the house even when they were off-shift. They had made excuses to delay their work and lounge around the house with Sakura. Even the two most sadistic members would provide her company. Although Kakuzu was a dedicated member to the organization he would often stay behind to give Sakura his "important" lectures on financial responsibility. He enjoyed playing cards with Sakura at the dining room table even though he could not compete with her tactful intellect and faultless poker face. She often taunted and goaded the short tempered man when she celebrated her victory yet he still seemed to appreciate her presence. Hidan was never a devout follower of the Akatsuki leader and often demonstrated brute defiance when given orders. He never did pass up the opportunity when it came to the hunt and violence of the bijuu captures but he would often visit Sakura instead of recuperating at the base. He would sermon her on the word of Jashin and rant about the heretics of the world. He frequently tried to convert her informing her that her powers would make her into a prominent Jashinist. However, she disagreed with the whole dogma of violence and destruction his outlandish faith promoted.

"Can we go to the lake? I know the perfect spot underneath the cherry blossoms." Sakura clasped her hands together radiating her unbridled delight.

* * *

Sasuke raced through the trees beside Jugo following behind Suigetsu and Karin.

"So what was this Diclonius thing again?" Suigetsu inquired.

"Orochimaru said it was a girl with pink hair and horns. He said it was on par with the bijuu if not stronger." Karin responded. A blush crept to her cheeks as she glanced back at Sasuke trailing behind her. She squealed mentally like a lovesick school girl. Now was her chance to shine in front of the gorgeous Uchiha.

"A girl? Is it some kinda monster or something?"

"How should I know? I've never even heard of this thing!" Karin hissed at the silver haired swordsman.

Sasuke reluctantly agreed to execute this mission. The Diclonius had usurped his position as the center of Orochimaru's attention. Perhaps he could recover Orochimaru's attention if he carried out this simple task…or destroy the target if such an opportunity would quell Orochimaru's interest once and for all.

Karin froze stock still as a large chakra signature rattled her senses. "There are two chakras up ahead. One is on level with that of a bijuu and the other is much weaker."

"Let's investigate." Sasuke nodded his head affirmatively. The shinobi continued on their travels.

Kisame exhaled in delight as he downed another shot of sake. He and Sakura sat cross legged on the checkered blanket overlooking the glistening waves on the lake's surface. Sakura cupped a fallen cherry blossom in the palms of her hands like a precious stone. She blew the delicate flower from her hands and watched it flutter gracefully to the soft grass.

"I can't thank you enough, Kisame." Sakura chirped mirthfully.

Kisame muttered something unintelligible through his mouthful of potato chips. He suddenly covered Sakura's mouth with his large blue hand as he heard a faint sound rustling in the bushes. She spotted four shinobi emerge from the bushes lead by a familiar raven haired boy.

"Sasuke-kun?" She traced her lips delicately around the sound of his name.

He peered at her indifferently as if he didn't even recognize the pink haired kunoichi. The three shinobi instinctively ran up behind him spreading in a semi-circular formation. Sakura clasped her hands together anticipating a response from the Uchiha.

"The large chakra signature…It's coming from the Akatsuki." Karin shifted her glasses with her finger glancing from Sakura then to Kisame.

Suigetsu rubbed his hands together and licked his slick pointy teeth in a predatory manner. "Hoshigaki Kisame…How I've longed to take you on."

"Karin, is she the Diclonius? She nearly matches the description Orochimaru gave us." Jugo glanced down at the redhead.

"I'm not sure." Karin cupped her chin with her thumb and fore finger. "She has the pink hair but her chakra signature is far too weak to even come close to matching a bijuu."

Sakura widened her eyes in utter horror. Her beloved Uchiha drew his katana and aimed the sword in her direction. He spoke to her in a cold, demanding tone of voice. "Take off those ribbons."

It took Sakura a matter of seconds to fully comprehend the imagery preceding her very eyes. She hoped it was some type of cruel genjutsu or an optical illusion intended to deceive her visual senses. A searing heat seemed to well up behind her eyes and pulsate throughout her skull. Hot tears streamed from her eyes smearing down her pale cheeks as the force of reality struck her in the gut.

"Why…?" She breathed delicately.

"Don't waste my time." His voice was ridden with marked impatience. "Now take those ribbons out of your hair."

The young cool genius she had fallen in love with had now obtained a few more inches in height and matured remarkably well. His white long sleeved shirt hung loosely exposing his strikingly chiseled chest rippling with newfound hardened muscles he had acquired in the duration of his departure. His face was now devoid of the rounder, softer features he had possessed in his youth. Instead it was more angular but still complemented his brawny yet beautiful physique. He had visibly become a man while she was still a meek little girl. She longed to touch that hardened hide and caress it beneath the pads of her fingers. But she was jolted back to reality as those onyx eyes hardened with cruel intent.

"I've endured so much just to see you again…" Sakura forced a smile beneath the tears. "I sacrificed my body for that snake's experiments so I would have the chance to be reunited with you once more…"

Before she could blink her eyes, the Uchiha lunged straight for her. Instinctively, she covered her face with her hands as his breakneck reflexes overwhelmed her. A fragment of steel flew through the air reflecting the rays of sunlight until it landed on the soft earth. Sasuke widened his eyes in disbelief staring at the broken blade of his katana. The blade of his sword had split in half before it could strike her in the abdomen. He flung the hilt of the sword carelessly now that the weapon had been rendered useless.

"How did she do that?" Karin said to herself.

Suigetsu clutched the handle of his massive blade protectively eyeing the two fragments of Sasuke's abandoned katana resting in the luscious grass. "Uhh…I'll take on Kisame-sempai. You guys can deal with that girl."

The swordsman wasted no time before he charged at the tall shark-like Ataksuki. Sasuke uttered an impassive grunt as his eyes suddenly flashed red. He grasped onto his opposite hand charging the chidori within the palm of his hand. The streaks of lightning emitted a deafening high pitched sound which pained the sensitive tissue of Sakura's ears. Her hands trembled vigorously at her sides. An excruciating knot knit in her chest constricting her airflow causing her to become overcome by lightheadedness. How could this be? The boy she had loved and dedicated all her efforts toward now met her with sheer hostility. She recalled the time she wept over his fatally wounded body questioning the validity of the ninja code she had abided by during her days at the academy…when she had hugged her injured teammate and held his hand when he was painfully branded with the curse seal. She had worked diligently to grow out her hair when she had caught word of the rumor regarding Sasuke's liking for long hair only to shear it off during the confrontation with the Sound trio. She had done everything within her limited power not only to protect her beloved teammates from the Sound trio but to curb Sasuke's ravenous lust for brutality when he had learned of her attacker. When he was at his most vulnerable condition during their fight with the crazed Gaara, she met the jinchuuriki with sheer audacity to protect the boy she cared so deeply for. She had shed blood, tears, screamed at the top of her lungs, and sacrificed her own body solely out of unbridled dedication for the Uchiha. Why did this have to be? Why couldn't things be the way they were before his defection from the village?

The high pitched chidori screeched loudly drawing closer toward Sakura as she stood stationary.

"Yamete-yo!*" Her chest burned with a scorching sensation.

The red haired girl shrieked in horror. Sasuke yelped in agony as a mysteriously sharp force slashed his chest like the blade of a sword. He fell to his back crashing to the ground with a loud thud. Blood dribbled from his mouth as he panted incessantly. Karin rushed to his side and dropped to her knees before his chest. She quickly inspected the fatal slash-like wound as his chest heaved up and down rapidly.

Karin quickly rolled up the sleeve of her shirt exposing numerous teeth marks embedded in her skin. "Sasuke-kun, hurry up and bite my arm."

Sasuke lifted his head to her forearm and sunk his teeth into her skin. Karin gave a wild scream of unadulterated arousal and ecstasy. Sakura widened her eyes at the pseudo-erotic scene occurring before her eyes. The origin of his indifference had suddenly become evident to her.

_He loves someone else._ Her inner voice spoke.

She curled her fingers into a fist and demanded. "Who is that girl, Sasuke?"

"Why does it matter to you?" Sasuke spat releasing his teeth from Karin's flesh.

She clutched her throbbing skull dropping down to her knees lifelessly.

_He has never loved us and now he's making it very clear. He loves that girl. She's the one who changed him into what he is now. _

Sakura whimpered as the excruciating throbbing suddenly escalated. She hunched her back and rested her forehead in the dirt hoping to alleviate the pain.

_Erase her. Give that bastard what he deserves_.

She clutched a clump of dirt within her hand and squeezed it until it crumbled from her grasp.

_End the pain forever. Erase them all! _

Decaying cherry blossom petals and organic debri swirled around her body as her vectors whipped wildly in the air. She slowly rose back to her feet as the decaying plant matter danced erratically around her stationary body. She hung her head low allowing her pink tresses to blanket her eyes.

Karin forcefully sucked in air. What was happening? Were her sensory skills suddenly deceiving her? "Her chakra has completely vanished!"

Jugo seemed to be enticed by the levitating plant matter. He gave a soft laugh to himself. The laughing suddenly began to escalate as his face and arm started morphing. The curse seal rapidly consumed his body causing him to hunch his back. He looked as though he would walk on all fours like a primitive being. Sakura remained motionless as the hysterically laughing Jugo charged after her like a snarling animal. His feral eyes fixated on her while the appendages on his arm assumed an axe-like shape. Karin winced at the sudden reverberation of snapping bone.

"GAHH!" Jugo buckled to his knees clutching his broken arm against his chest. He hollered in agony as the broken bone penetrated straight through the flesh.

Karin shrieked as a mysterious force suddenly grasped her by the throat. Sakura wrapped the long fingers of her vector around her throat and slowly hoisted her body in the air. Karin struggled to cry Sasuke's name but instead gagged violently as the vector constricted her airflow.

"Sasuke-kun." Sakura glanced back at him. Her soft green eyes glazed over while her round pupils constricted. A smirk graced her plump lips. She suddenly spoke in an uncharacteristically callous tone of voice. "_Would you be sad if this girl died?_"

* * *

* Yamete-yo means "stop" in Japanese.


	8. Defeat

"Karin!" Suigetsu shouted. Both he and Kisame lowered their swords as they had become distracted by the distressed redhead.

"Sakura, let her go!" Sasuke growled. Cold beads of sweat rolled off his forehead into his eyes.

Suigetsu abandoned his duel with the shark and lunged for the Diclonius. Sakura hurled the redhead straight into Suigetsu. He plummeted backwards as the girl collided with his body. He rubbed his sore temple and quickly recovered to his feet.

"I'll take care of this." Suigetsu gave Sasuke the thumbs up before charging head on at Sakura again.

He suddenly felt an eerie force tear his blade from his hands. The enormous sword levitated in the air and twisted around pointing toward his chest. He took a big gulp of air and morphed into water as the sword was thrust in his direction.

Sasuke yanked his shirt off as he began transforming into his cursed form. Sakura took a step backward as two webbed-claw shaped appendages emerged from his back. The black sclera formed around his crimson eyes spinning with the three tomoe of the sharingan. He charged the chidori in his hand once again. His cursed condition would grant him the speed to strike her before she could detect the strike. Sasuke gasped as something suddenly froze the motion of his attacking hand. Sakura smiled ominously beneath her long bangs. Sasuke screamed as blood sprayed from his back coating the lawn in the red liquid. She ripped out his winged appendages one after the other and tossed them aside carelessly. The Uchiha collapsed to his knees wrapping his arms around his torso in an attempt to stifle the agonizing pain. He hollered loudly in brief intervals as the pain quickly wracked him with nausea.

"Sakura!" Kisame's voice suddenly jolted her back into full consciousness. "That's enough! Leave the younger Uchiha up to Itachi."

Sakura blinked her eyes as the throbbing sensation within her skull subsided. She stared at the Uchiha subdued into weakness and susceptibility. He was on his hands and knees violently arching his back and vomiting blood onto the grass beneath him. Her lip quivered as his moans seemed to penetrate her heart.

"Sasuke-kun…?" She whispered to herself.

She had reduced the powerful Uchiha into a mess of blood and moans. The sight of his fatally injured condition disturbed her greatly…she was responsible for this…she was responsible for his agony. She was no better than that goddamn elder Uchiha!

"Gomen…Gomenasai…" Sakura choked her words.

She had unearthed something hidden beneath his aloof exterior which was now evident in his pained face…his vulnerability…his humanity. This was the part of him she had hoped to bring to the forefront when she had pleaded with him to stay in Konoha. Sakura buried his hands in her face. Kisame approached her as she wept loudly for the pain she had caused her beloved former teammate. He covered her face with his hand as if to obscure her guilt and shame.

"Why did I do it?" She whispered into his hand.

"Let's leave, Koneko." He stated briefly. The Diclonius and the shark vanished beneath a veil of smoke.

"At least she didn't break my sword." Suigetsu sighed in relief. He retrieved the broken fragments of Sasuke's sword.

Karin folded her arms bitterly. "Sasuke and Jugo are hurt and all you care about is your stupid sword!"

She clobbered Suigetsu on the top of the head and sighed forcefully. "Let's just get them to a hospital already."

* * *

Kisame and Itachi stood behind Sakura's bedroom door. "She's been cooped up in there ever since we got back. She's pretty shaken up by the whole thing."

Itachi turned toward his partner. "You'd better get back to work. I'll take care of this."

Kisame waved goodbye and quickly departed. Itachi knocked on the wooden door but the girl remained unresponsive. He opened the door slowly to find her sitting on the bed stuffing her colorful clothing in a small backpack. She glared at the Uchiha and zipped the backpack shut.

"If you couldn't tell…I'm leaving." She slung the backpack over her shoulders and fiddled with the straps.

Itachi suddenly grasped her wrist. "You do not have permission to leave."

"You can't make me stay!" She hissed abrasively.

"Then where will you go?"

"I don't know. I'll find a place to stay."

"You know Konoha won't accept you back being as you are. Do you intend to return to Orochimaru?"

Sakura furrowed her brows. "I don't care where I wind up. As long as I'm not here anymore."

"Why do you insist on leaving here? We have gone out of our way to provide you with food, shelter, and company."

"Because I've become like the Akatsuki! I've become like _you_!"

Itachi didn't reply as she yanked her wrist from his grasp.

"I sadistically tortured Sasuke because I was jealous of that girl! I felt pleasure in seeing that girl suffer. I wanted her to die." Sakura's heart thrashed about wildly beneath her skin. "I hurt the one I love and I could never live with myself if I had allowed my raw emotions to kill him. Living with you men has made me imitate your appalling ways."

"You are not like us. You are not Akatsuki material." The corner of his mouth drew up into a slight smirk.

"You're mistaken. I've been cursed with this awful power and I've used it to hurt other humans for the sake of my own selfish reasons! I love Sasuke with all my heart. Unlike you, I actually care about him!"

She had hoped to illicit an indignant reaction from the Uchiha. Instead, the stoic man simply uttered an unresponsive "hn."

Sakura avoided his gaze and headed toward the bedroom door. "I will find a place I can call home."

"Why are you so obsessed with my brother?" Itachi finally broke his momentary silence.

She turned toward him and forced a haughty smile. "I've always looked upon my teammates with affection."

Itachi recognized she had clearly told a half-truth. She was infatuated with his younger brother since the days of his youth prior to the massacre. He could not determine any particular reason why she had obstinately devoted herself to Sasuke. His younger sibling was sought after by many young girls yet he never returned fondness toward anyone outside of the Uchiha clan. He was reserved and disrespectful in a sense that he never utilized honorifics when addressing members outside the clan. What had he done to deserve this girl's absolute affection?

"Answer me honestly. Why do you love Sasuke?" Itachi narrowed his eyes.

Damn him! Sakura opened her mouth to speak but could not search for an appropriate response. She loved the younger Uchiha simply just because. She struggled to cite a specific reason why she loved him so unconditionally. He was smart, attractive, talented…but those reasons still could not support an answer.

Itachi promptly interpreted her baffled expression. "You do not know why…"

Sakura scoffed mentally and turned away from him back towards the door. She pulled the door open slightly ajar before a larger hand quickly pushed it back shut. She felt her pulse throbbing vigorously within her chest as she became trapped between the door and Itachi's body. Her presence felt greatly diminished by his tall stature. His fingers slid down the panel of the wooden door until they rested on the bony protrusion atop her scalp. The pad of his thumb brushed the curves of her horn. She could not help but close her eyes. The way he traced his fingers along her horn gave her an inexplicable sense of pleasure. It wasn't the touch itself that brought her gratification but rather the fact that someone was feeling the very physical attribute which had ostracized her from the humans. Part of her wished the invasive Uchiha would leave her alone yet she also wished he would not remove his hand. Her lips parted slightly as something cold and soft pressed against her large forehead. His lips separated from her forehead leaving behind a tingling sensation in the area where he had made contact. She felt his breath venture downward toward the lobe of her ear.

"You _are_ home."

* * *

The solitary Sasuke rested in his chambers at the serpent sannin's hideout. Although the painkillers had staved off much of the pain and nausea, he still found himself tossing and turning beneath the covers of his bed. How could that mysterious naked figure behind that cell have been Sakura? How could the weakest member of Team 7 defeat him easily and quell his years of strict training and practice? He had effortlessly slaughtered a hundred of Orochimaru's subjects yet he was crushed by the pink haired kunoichi without even landing a hit on her. What kind of bizarre power had she acquired? He wasn't capable of detecting nonetheless dodging her attacks even with the aid of the sharingan. Sakura was always weak and helpless but kind hearted. She always remained in the background unwilling to commit herself to battle during missions. She was flawed and too easily driven by her emotions but she was perhaps the most humane character on Team 7. She was far too human…so how could she be that strange Diclonius being? He had resolved to accomplish the mission as objectively as possible. He could not permit his former bonds with the kunoichi to jeopardize the execution of the mission. It seemed as though her personality had suddenly become dichotomous. The Sakura he knew would have run off in tears if she had believed Karin to be his girlfriend. But, it was almost as if a separate entity had possessed her body and instigated a lust for violence.

He grasped his pillow firmly as a rush of rage erupted within his gut. If he was not capable of defeating the pink haired kunoichi how could he possibly hope to seek revenge on Itachi? Despite the years of tutelage under Orochimaru, he was still far too weak. He had no possible hope of attaining more power with Orochimaru's now fractional guidance. He had to concoct a quick way of acquiring power in order to carry out his revenge. He was obligated to act soon before he could miss his only opportunity.


	9. Intruder

A/N: Did you guys think I'd be evil enough to leave you at a cliffhanger? I don't believe I'm _that_ evil. ^^'

* * *

The blonde jinchuuriki stirred his ramen noodles in repetitive circles. Despite his obsessive love for the noodle soup his appetite seemed to be greatly diminished.

"Is everything alright, Naruto? You haven't touched your ramen." Teuchi, the ramen bar owner, inquired as he rubbed the side of his face.

"I'm alright." Naruto forced a smile.

Despite his efforts to investigate in the village, there were still no leads on Sakura's location. The kunoichi's father had appeared to be poisoned while her mother's body turned up missing. She had suddenly become an orphan like the rest of her teammates. Naruto wondered if she was somewhere safe and if she was trying to find her way home. He mourned the loss of Team 7. He mourned the loss of his beloved teammates Sasuke and Sakura. He resented Sai for withholding information regarding Sakura but the ROOT member was under a strict jutsu to prevent the release of confidential information. He loved the cute pink haired girl since his days at the academy. He had even impersonated that bastard Sasuke to steal a kiss from her only to have his efforts thwarted by a bout of diarrhea. Since his return to his homeland, he had finally obtained the opportunity to get to know and understand the short tempered kunoichi now that Sasuke was out of the picture. She had blossomed into a beautiful and attractive woman in a short duration of time…although her punches had become agonizingly stronger. He didn't care that she was that weird Diclonius word. With him being the vessel of the kyuubi, he had hoped her discovery would bring them closer together. He wished they could've come to understand one another with a newfound compassion.

A frail voice distracted him from his brooding.

"Naruto-kun…"

A dark haired kunoichi sat down on the barstool beside Naruto. Her pearly eyes studied his concerned face. "H-have you heard of anything yet?"

Naruto shook his head. "No…"

"I'm sure you will find her…and Sasuke as well." Hinata gave a demure smile.

Naruto widened his eyes and flashed her a look of disbelief. The shy kunoichi fiddled her fingers as she stared ahead of herself. "You never give up. Whenever you fail at something you just keep trying and trying until things become right. You're able to achieve anything you put your efforts into…and I find it greatly inspiring."

"Really?" Naruto locked eyes with her.

Hinata gave a courteous nod of the head.

"Thank you, Hinata!" Naruto clasped his hands together radiating a fox-like grin.

Hinata's entire face suddenly flushed a deep shade of red. Her head was overwhelmed by a feeling of sickly lightheadedness.

"Hinata? Are you alright?"

* * *

Sakura and Itachi sat cross legged on a checkered blanket adjacent from the shore of a lake.

"I apologize for my brother disrupting your last outing. Please allow me to make it up to you." Itachi removed the sheet from the basket.

Sakura clasped her hands in delight as he revealed a banquet of snacks and sweets in the container. She munched on a delectable strawberry crepe. Her brow furrowed into a frown as she stared the Uchiha in the face.

"Is something wrong?" Itachi took a bite of onigiri.

"Your eyes. Why do you always have your sharingan activated? It makes me feel as if you don't trust me."

"I apologize. It's a bad habit of mine." His red eyes darkened into a much deeper shade. He gave a sly smirk as he leaned across the blanket and poked Sakura in the forehead.

"Hey!" She protested.

"Relax. I didn't disable your power."

She hoped he had been honest with her but she didn't wish to question him by testing her powers. If he hadn't disabled her vectors then why had he done that? Was he mocking her abnormally large forehead? Why was he the only Akatsuki who knew a method of restricting her power? Sakura wanted to flood him with these questions yet remained silent as she savored the sweet taste of the strawberry crepe. The Uchiha scrutinized the rosy face of the Diclonius sitting adjacent to him. He was never been the loquacious type but part of him longed to burden the pinkette in conversation. Since her recovery from Orochimaru's lair, she had never engaged in conversation with Itachi and always secluded herself in her room during his shifts at the house. Now he had finally obtained an opportunity to bond with her yet he found himself at a loss for words.

"What compelled you to become a kunoichi?" He broke the awkward, stagnant silence.

"Well, I was the only one in my family to possess chakra." She started. A sudden rosiness crept to the surface of her cheeks. She pressed the crepe against the side of one cheek in an attempt to hide her embarrassing blush. The volume of her voice quickly decreased. "…and I really wanted Sasuke-kun to notice me."

In the rare opportunity he had obtained to spend time alone with the Diclonius, he resented the fact that she had raised the topic of his younger brother.

"And your reason for becoming a shinobi?" The flush faded from her cheeks.

"Simply because it ran in the family." He answered briefly. He noticed her eyes widen in curiosity. "I graduated the academy at age 7, passed the chuunin exams at 10, and was promoted to ANBU captain at 13."

"Wow, you must be very talented!" She clasped her hands together in sheer fascination. She recalled her first attempt at the chuunin exams. Her long standing had come to an abrupt halt when her match with Ino resulted in a draw. She didn't pass the exam until her second attempt at age 14.

"I was merely expected to fulfill high standards. That is all."

Sakura questioned whether he had simply been modest or if he resented his ninja career in his younger days. She deduced he must have been subject to unfathomable pressure by his family and clan. How could a young child accept such force and pressure to satisfy such high standards? Did he lose his composure and finally snap? Was he compelled to eliminate the clan as a result? She resisted the urge to inquire about his family or clan. A nagging sensation badgered her into wanting to know his reasons. Why did he do it? Would he harm her if she brought up the subject? She quickly discarded the thought…the picnic was already awkward enough as it was. She had hoped to prevent further conversation with the detached Uchiha by occupying her mouth with food. However, a knot within her gut obliged her to shift her posture as his eyes seemed to bear a sudden weight on her. She glanced away as his dark eyes focused on her entirely. It felt as though he was attempting to mentally burn a hole through her chest the way his eyes seemed to penetrate her. Despite the intensity in his eyes, she admitted he did not have a generic appearance like the rest of the Uchiha had. Two hardened lines troughed beneath his eyes and his raven hair had a much softer, fluent texture than that of Sasuke's. She wished for his stern countenance to soften and relax as it had during their last meeting.

Itachi scrutinized the girl sitting adjacent to him. She seemed to be eating quickly as if to alleviate her loss for words. He longed to ask her about her family and how she had dealt with becoming a kunoichi daughter to non-ninja parents. Had she known of her parents' demise? Would she have an emotional breakdown if he raised the topic of her family? What kind of emotions did she harbor regarding her discovery as an extinct nonhuman species? He poured himself a hot cup of soothing smelling tea from a thermos to stifle his curiosity. He furrowed his brow in an attempt to mask the awkwardness brewing within his gut. He concentrated on the girl's exotic features. She combed her fingers through her bright pink bangs tinted with the same shade as her namesake. She possessed a unique eye color he had seen in no other human. Those bright jade orbs seemed to radiate beneath the long pink tresses. He resisted the urge to allow his eyes to venture down from her face to her newly endowed bosom peaking beneath her tight black dress. The Diclonius immediately took notice as Itachi's eyes wandered to her scalp. She cupped his hand gently within her own and rested it on the curve of her right horn. The Uchiha quickly withdrew his hand back to his cup. He detested seeing the disappointment in her lustrous and hopeful eyes but he could not allow himself to become distracted on the brink of a mission.

"My shift is drawing to an end. It's time to return you home."

Sakura lie face up on the bed recollecting her time spent with the Uchiha. She wished she could've overcome her nervousness and exchanged more dialogue with the stoic man. He was the only member of the Akatsuki she struggled to speak articulately to. He had already exchanged shifts with the blonde bomber and departed for a longer mission. Deidara headed toward the kitchen pantry carrying a bag of groceries against his chest. He meticulously stacked the pink boxes of Pocky as if he were trying to design a tower. The strawberry coated biscuit snakes were certainly capable of silencing that obnoxious mouth of hers. Or so he hoped.

"No! Stop it!"

Deidara paused as he heard the girl's voice scream from the bedroom.

"Get off of me! Leave me alone!"

He abandoned the stack of snacks and stumbled over the living room carpet on route to her bedroom.

"Please! Somebody help!"

Deidara finally wrapped his fingers around the copper doorknob. He widened his blue eyes in horror as he forced the wooden door open. The petite pinkette lay on the bed pinned beneath a masculine intruder.

* * *

A/N: On second thought…maybe I am…


	10. Predator

A/N: Fanart inspired by this fic would be highly appreciated. I love the works of a talented artist! ^^ Maybe then I'll stop torturing you guys so much with the cliffhangers. XD… Well cookies to you guys for being patient.

* * *

"Stop it! I can't take it anymore!" Sakura shrieked beneath the mysterious man. Her screaming turned to laughs and squeals as the man tickled her flanks.

"Kami, Tobi! You scared the shit outta me! How the hell did you get in here?" Deidara clenched his teeth vigorously as if he were to spontaneously combust.

"Eh, Tobi simply just followed sempai." The masked Akatsuki scratched the crown of his head chuckling. He suddenly squeezed Sakura into a tight embrace. "Yo, sempai! You never told Tobi you had a rabbit!"

"You idiot, Tobi! She's not a rabbit. She's a cat, yeah!" Deidara's eyebrow twitched as he rolled his fingers into a fist.

"…not…cat…!" Sakura gagged her words as his hug constricted her airflow.

"Besides, you're not responsible enough for a pet, yeah."

"But…but…Deidara-sempai!"

Deidara suddenly shouted as Sakura's face flushed a pale blue color. "You're going to suffocate Koneko!"

Tobi released the Diclonius from his hug of death. "Koneko…?"

"That's her name, yeah."

Tobi looked to the pink haired girl as she inhaled and shook her head in response to Deidara's statement.

"Having a pet is a huge responsibility. You have to feed her, provide for her, and keep her from whining. Do you think you can handle that?"

Sakura scowled at the blonde while Tobi shook his head enthusiastically. "Tobi promises he'll be responsible. Please give him a chance!"

The masked Akatsuki grasped Sakura's hands. She figured he was probably plastering on his largest puppy dog face beneath the orange circular patterned mask.

"You can't tell anyone about her. Not a word. If anyone finds out, I'll rip out that obnoxious mouth of yours, yeah."

Tobi made a zipper-pulling motion across his mouth…or rather where his mouth would be under the mask. "Tobi swears he won't tell a soul!"

"Fine then." Deidara gave an affirmative grunt. The pinkette would probably appreciate having someone around closer to her age and maturity level. Perhaps Itachi wouldn't mind having another member keep the Diclonius company. It would certainly alleviate the constraints placed on the rest of the men. Tobi never seemed to be as occupied on missions as the other members had been.

"Yatta!*" Tobi raised Sakura's hand in the air celebrating his victory.

"In fact, watch Koneko for a minute. I need to stock up on clay." Deidara fished his hand inside his pouch. Tobi manually walked Sakura to the door following behind Deidara. "I'll be back quickly. If Koneko is whiny, there are Pocky in the pantry."

The blonde bomber quickly slammed the door shut leaving behind the masked Akatsuki and the pinkette. Tobi quickly made his way toward the kitchen pantry. Sakura followed the hyper man and sat down at the kitchen table as he ventured through the pantry.

"Ooh so many sugary foods!" Tobi chirped as he carried an armful of snacks to the kitchen table.

The boxes and wrappers of the snacks scattered throughout the surface of the table. Sakura selected a box of strawberry Pocky and ripped the packet open. He fiddled with a carton of sugary star flake candies.

"It's not fair! Everyone always keeps things from Tobi!"

Sakura bit into a biscuit stick and tilted her head inquisitively. "Why is that?"

"They say Tobi is too happy and not mature enough to go on high class missions." Sakura suddenly furrowed her brow. She nearly choked on the stick of Pocky as he flexed his bicep and poked his muscle. "They're just jealous because Tobi is so strong. See?"

"I'd rather not." Sakura struggled to restrain a grimace.

How was this man inducted into the Akatsuki? Perhaps he had been the Naruto of their group—dumb but gutsy. She suspected he was hiding a devastating facial deformity underneath the mask. His immature personality could have been the result of a tragic childhood consumed with ridicule and rejection due to his disfigured appearance. In the earlier days of his childhood, Naruto had been ostracized for simply being the vessel of the nine-tailed demon fox that razed Konoha several years ago. As a result, he adopted a life of mischief, troublemaking, and constantly craved attention from the villagers. Maybe this man was no different from her beloved teammate.

Tobi turned his face to the side obscuring his face from her view. He lifted the mask slightly and quickly downed the carton of star candies. She curbed the temptation to inquire about his mask. She did not wish to exhibit insolent behavior toward her new guest regarding the sensitive topic. He set down the empty carton and scrutinized the bony protrusions on her scalp. Sakura gasped as he suddenly leaned across the table and grasped her horns.

"Ow!" Sakura shrieked. "Don't yank on them!"

Tobi rasped his knuckles on her right horn. "Are these things real?"

"Do you actually believe I would plaster them on my head for fun?" She leaned backward slipping out of his grip.

Tobi focused on her intensely as if waiting for an answer. Sakura interpreted the baffled expression he emitted and forced a drawn out sigh. He scratched his short, dark hair and pointed to her chest. "Did you plaster those on too?"

Sakura's jaw immediately dropped in alarm as the color flushed from her cheeks. She rolled her quivering fingers into a fist and drew her elbow back to her side. Her fist contacted the masked Akatsuki upside the jaw forcing him out of his chair. Tobi braced his fall with his arms outstretched behind him in an awkward crab-like position.

"Baka!" The irate Diclonius gave a cat-like hiss.

"But Tobi's a good boy!"

"That's a bit hard to believe." Sakura scuffed as she tossed the empty Pocky packet at the downed Tobi.

He staggered back to his feet in a clumsy manner. He rubbed his sore jaw complaining. "Such ridiculous strength…"

Sakura hoped the blonde bomber would hasten his return. At least Hidan was upfront with his offensive and perverted comments. His reference to himself in the third person didn't alleviate his aggravating behavior either. It was evident why he was not assigned to high ranking missions as he had previously stated. He probably could not keep a stable partnership with whoever he accompanied.

The mysterious masked man fished for something in his pocket beneath the black and red Akatsuki cloak. He pulled out his hand and unraveled his long fingers. "Please accept this as an apology from Tobi."

Sakura rose from her chair and tilted her head closer to the palm of his hand. It appeared to be a silver chain with some kind of raptor-like creature as a charm. He straightened out the chain allowing the charm to dangle freely.

"A hawk?" She inspected the tiny figure in her fingers.

She held her hair out of his way as he tied the chain around her neck. He stood before her inspecting the fit of the necklace. He gave her a thumbs up and chirped. "It looks so pretty on you!"

Sakura clasped her hands together and radiated an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Tobi."

Perhaps he wasn't completely insufferable. The strange man did seem to have an evident amiable side to him.

Tobi reached behind himself narrowing his eyes beneath the orange mask. "How would you like to play a game?"

"A game?" Sakura touched a finger to her plump lip.

He twirled the lobe a kunai around his index finger. "Yes. You hide and I'll seek."

* * *

Itachi lagged behind his partner batting away stray decaying cherry blossoms from his face. He constantly reminded himself to concentrate on his current mission—capturing the four-tailed beast. The raining petals of the girl's namesake seemed intent on derailing his focus. He had tried to shrug off the lingering awkwardness from their outing. He regretted his lack of articulation during the picnic but his brooding thoughts had consumed him from speaking freely with the Diclonius. She was far too remorseful and inherently compassionate to succumb to the darkness despite her destructive capabilities. He had wished to ask her about her family but he was well aware of the fate of her predecessors. He shared the same fate as the charming girl although she was completely oblivious to the fact. A cold breeze chilled the skin of his cheeks. He hated recalling the imagery of that damned night but he couldn't help but reminisce to the day of the Uchiha massacre.

He patrolled the perimeter of Uchiha territory adorned in his ANBU uniform. A long haired figure emerged from the darkness into the moonlight. The radiance of the full autumn moon illuminated the flame patterned mask of the man standing before him. Itachi mentally orchestrated his tasks repetitively before he could implement them into practice.

"Hn. This night certainly brings back memories of the good ole days…" Itachi's associate seemed to suggest a hint of delight.

Itachi flashed him an intrigued look expecting a clarification of his last statement.

Madara's tone descended ominously as he licked his lips beneath the mask. "…when I used to rabbit hunt."

* * *

*Yatta means "horray" in Japanese.


	11. Tsukimi

A/N: This chapter takes place in Madara's past. Regular font signifies the events occurring in Madara's youth. _Italics_ represent Madara's dialogue to Itachi on the night of the Uchiha massacre. Hope that makes sense!

* * *

_Before the establishment of Konohagakure there was once a mutation which turned Haruno women into pink haired monsters with horns and the power to manipulate microvibrations called vectors. They called it the Diclonius. These creatures possessed distinct pink hair, pastel colored eyes, pneumatic voices, and exotically curvaceous figures. They often had broader foreheads than a human since they contained much larger pineal glands. The powers of a Diclonius derive from the pineal gland which is the size of an egg in contrast to a human's which is merely the size of a pea. The Haruno clan used to exist back in my day but it was exterminated to eliminate the Diclonius gene from existence. The Haruno were a small, matriarchal clan which consisted only of Diclonius women. The Haruno surname and the mutation were strictly passed down from mother to daughter. Since the Diclonius mutation was only viable in females, women from the Haruno clan would outcross with human males to sustain their numbers…but to lie with a Diclonius was to toy with death. Despite the accepted presumption, the Diclonius gene is dominant. A Diclonius mother could produce children born with or without the mutation but a non-mutated mother could not produce mutant offspring. Non-mutated Haruno progeny often adopted their paternal surname and did not associate with the stigmatized clan. _

_The Haruno clan was feared and hated by the rest of the population. These women were extraordinarily sensitive and overemotional over trivial matter. They did not assimilate well within human society and often became aggressive when subjected to mockery and rejection. A Diclonius was extremely unpredictable—innocent one moment and homicidal the next. The Diclonii did not possess the ability to utilize chakra and their vectors were undetectable to even the most skilled shinobi. In order to quell their reproduction, legislation was passed forbidding the humans from establishing a relationship or mating with a Diclonius. The Senju and Uchiha along with the other dominant clans collaborated in an effort to eliminate the Haruno clan. My younger brother, Izuna, and I were chosen to lead the extermination task force since we had mastered the mangekyou sharingan and could detect their vectors. We slaughtered all and any female possessing the trademark pink hair and horns. Infants, girls, full grown women—it did not matter. They were simply vermin to humankind. _

Two dark haired siblings stood on the hillside overlooking the compound. The younger sibling rubbed his hands together as he inhaled the chilly autumn air. The rooftops refracted the rays of moonlight raining down upon the Haruno complex.

"Let's get this over with." Izuna exhaled a cloud of moist fog.

Madara nodded affirmatively withdrawing his katana. They slid down the hillside and assimilated into darkness of the complex alleyway. Izuna inspected a red banner streaming down the walls of the complex. He took a few steps backward from the building and performed a rapid series of hand seals.

He inhaled deeply puffing out his pale cheeks. "Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!"

A massive ball of flames erupted from his mouth. Izuna smirked as the inferno quickly ate up the fabric of the red banner adorned with the white circular crest of the Haruno. The flames rapidly spread to the wooden walls of the complex after consuming the fabric of the banner. Izuna looked to his older brother igniting the ravenous flames on the other side of the complex. The brothers waited eagerly for the flames to evict the rabbits from the safety of their den. They exchanged amused glances as feminine screams resonated beneath the cackling of the vicious inferno.

"Izuna!" Madara's voice hollered.

The younger Uchiha gasped as a set of two ethereal fingers suddenly brushed the folds of his eyelids. He took a step backward away from the eerie touch of the non corporeal fingers. He exhaled rapidly overwhelmed with simultaneous dread and relief.

"Don't be so reckless!" Madara hissed at the younger Uchiha. "This one has a maximum range of 12 meters."

A rosy pink haired woman folded her arms as she glared at the intruders. Her long spiral curls fluttered down to her petite waist. "Teenagers playing with fire this late at night? Ridiculous."

The woman could not have possibly been older than 30 yet she seemed to emit a degree of authority and evident charisma. This woman's reach was far too long for an average Diclonius. Madara deduced that she was unquestionably the most matured and developed Haruno. "Are you the head of this pathetic clan?"

The elder Haruno narrowed her cerise eyes. "Yes, I am the leader of this _proud_ clan."

A younger Haruno ran up behind the elder. "Onee-sama!"

The curly haired Diclonius refused to break her focus on the Uchiha. "Sarina-chan, don't come any closer. Please go back to the compound and evacuate the rest of the girls. I'll take care of this."

The younger Haruno opened her mouth to protest but remained silent. She cupped her hands over her mouth and nostrils to prevent the inhalation of smoke and ash. "Please be alright, Sanami-sama…"

The elder didn't glance behind to ensure the fellow Diclonius obeyed her orders. "Why do you disturb us?"

"Isn't it evident to you?" Madara furrowed his brow. He didn't appreciate such pointless questions but he figured the Haruno was intentionally stalling him while her kin escaped the burning compound.

"It was only a matter of time before you humans would directly demonstrate your obscured sense of justice."

Madara shielded Izuna with his arm as the younger Uchiha took a step forward. "This one has the longest range. If we take her out first the rest should be easy."

Sanami lunged head on at the Uchiha to expand the range of her vectors. They simply dodged and maneuvered around the eight visible vectors she possessed. She pressed her vectors into the earth crumbling the pavement beneath the men. She hoisted a large fragment of pavement and projected the debris in Madara's direction. He shielded his body with a large war fan patterned with the tomoe of the sharingan. She growled in frustration as her improvised weapon broke apart striking the surface Madara's shield.

"Your vectors may be fast but we are much faster." Izuna laughed as he limbo underneath the stream of ethereal arms. Madara scowled at the younger Uchiha as he seemed to entertain himself with performing acrobatics around the treacherous vectors.

"The spiky haired one…where is he?" Sanami gasped suddenly losing track of the older sibling. She focused straight ahead of herself hoping to locate the absent intruder.

A deafening scream resonated in the chilly air. Madara's blade penetrated through her back staining her crimson qipao a much darker shade of red. The dark stain surged outward from the tip of the blade as Sanami violently coughed up blood. Madara kicked her body yanking out his katana in one unison motion. Izuna caught up to Madara's side as the older sibling pressed the Diclonius' head against the chilled pavement with his foot.

"Let's go find the others."

_The Diclonii had conjured some ridiculously amusing if not pathetic ways of attempting to escape detection. Izuna had become bored with killing the pests on the spot and sought to make the hunt as entertaining as possible despite my disapproval. Although we had defeated the "queen bee" of the clan, I did not appreciate Izuna's recklessness around the weaker Diclonii. He'd nearly had his precious eyes gouged out by the elder Haruno yet he still acted rather carefree around the pink haired monsters. _

"Sara-chan, don't cry or else they'll find us." A girl tucked her younger sibling's pink locks underneath a sunhat. She had also adorned the same attire.

"Nee-san, I'm scared. They killed Suzu nee-sama* and she was wearing a disguise." The young Diclonius choked through her tears.

"Quiet! I hear someone!"

Two dark haired men surveyed the alleyway. The older Diclonius sibling winced at the sight of their activated sharingan but struggled to remain motionless.

"There are two here." Izuna informed Madara. He turned toward the girls hiding beneath an overturned cardboard box. "You can come out of hiding."

"Aw, you ruined our game of hide and seek. Now we're going to be discovered by our friend." The older Haruno feigned a childish voice.

Izuna raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "And by your 'friend' you mean us?"

"Not unless you want to play." She stifled a nervous laugh.

"I'd love to." Izuna's voice descended callously.

"Enough!" Madara interrupted. "It's evident you're hiding your horns. It's too cloudy to be wearing a sunhat. My patience is wearing thin."

He rapidly struck down the older sister coating the walls of the alleyway in dark red blood.

"Sanae!" The younger sibling shrieked vociferously. She bawled and wheezed violently as the blood coated blade suddenly pricked the skin of her throat.

"Wait!" Izuna grasped the juvenile Diclonius by the collar of her red shirt. He hoisted her in the air and smirked as he seemed to summon an idea. He looked the girl intensely in the eyes. She sniveled as the barred pattern in his eyes began to consume her. "So infantile and innocent, aren't you little one? Let's make this a bit more fun. How about you be the seeker?"

_The eldest Haruno had successfully distracted us and allowed the dispersal of her clan. However, the Diclonii had a unique telepathic ability which involved locating other members of the same species over long distances. This made our job remarkably convenient and more enjoyable for my younger brother. He had appreciated the opportunity to explore the potential of his prized eyes. _

"Sara-chan!" A group of hiding Diclonii cheered in unison. They welcomed the young Haruno inside the security of their cavern.

"I'm so glad you're alive." A short haired Diclonius embraced Sara in her arms.

The oldest girl of the group clasped her hands together. "Is Sanae nee-sama alright?"

The young Diclonius averted her gaze from the group as she remained silent.

"Those goddamned hunters got her too?" The rest of the girls flashed the oldest Haruno looks of disapproval. They figured the young girl was under enough despair regarding her sister's death.

Sara sat down and tucked her knees to her chest. She buried her forehead in her knees and broke down sobbing. The girls immediately gathered around Sara in an effort to provide her comfort. They wrapped their arms around the mourning girl and patted her back affectionately. The young girl's sobs suddenly eased into laughter.

"Sara-chan?"

"Her eyes!" One girl pointed as Sara lifted her head slowly. Her eyes flashed an atypical crimson color. A pinwheel pattern formed in her eyes as she gave an ominous smirk.

"_Pests_."

An explosion of blood, bone, and flesh suddenly jolted the cavern. Blood soaked the tiny clothes of the little Diclonius as she rose to her feet. The warm liquid stained her bright pink hair streaming down to her chin. Blood trickled from her chin and fell to the crimson puddles at her feet. The sound of droplets resonated in the now silent cave. The repetitive noise suddenly wracked the girl back into full consciousness.

"Nee-sama?" She glanced around the cavern. The dismembered bodies of her kin littered the floor of the cave. She whimpered as she gazed upon the decapitated head of the oldest girl in the group.

She took a step backward tripping over a mutilated torso. The smell of blood and flesh overwhelmed her sensitive nostrils. She sat up and clutched her stomach as if it were to suddenly burst.

"WHY?"

She was well aware no one could hear or answer her. Her fellow kin were now lifeless and silent. She had brutally slaughtered her beloved relatives because of those goddamn men. There was nothing she could do to awaken them from their eternally soundless state. She was merely an infantile little girl now soiled with the hands of a butcher. Sara's chest heaved up and down rapidly as the hot tears trailed down the apples of her cheeks. She screamed at the top of her lungs only to hear the echo of her own voice responding to her. She clutched handfuls of her pink tresses as she forced yet another scream.

"Why…?" Her lung and throat throbbed with pain.

She longed to join her sisters in that serene silence. She summoned her vectors and clutched the crown of her scalp. Another scream rattled the walls of the cave as her blood mingled with that of her own people.

_Izuna and I were venerated for our extraordinary success in rabbit hunting. The Haruno clan was on the verge of extinction and they had become increasingly desperate. The few survivors utilized everything within their limited resources in a desperate attempt to survive. We had them at our mercy until the unthinkable happened. They had gotten to Izuna. _

* * *

*Nee-sama is a pretty respectful way of addressing an older sister. The Haruno regard each other with utmost respect and address members of the clan as "sister" even if they aren't actually related.

Also Tsukimi is a Japanese moon-viewing festival held in autumn.


	12. Oceanborn

_The Haruno were thoroughly cunning. But, there was one Haruno in particular who never ceased to agitate me. Prior to the hunt, she would frequent the training grounds and observe our sparring sessions. She had attempted to hide herself in the security of the trees but she was unaware of the acute senses of a shinobi. When we confronted her, she tried to impress me with ninja trivia although it was evident her knowledge of shinobi was greatly limited. It was always "Madara-kun this" and "Madara-kun that" in her lousy attempts to flatter me. I never figured what had drawn her to me since she had known nothing about my character or my ambitions. Izuna suggested she was enamored by my appearance and often imitated her voice to playfully tease me. In the wake of the massacre, I had hoped to silence that infatuated creature forever. The Diclonii ubiquitously seemed to possess pneumatic singing voices. They inherently sang a melodious yet haunting song sung in an unfamiliar language. This song was particularly enchanting to the human ear and the Haruno utilized it to their advantage. _

_o quam sancta_

_quam serena_

Izuna approached the lone Diclonius standing on the dock peering into the vast waters. He questioned whether the Diclonius had even sensed his presence behind her. Her chilling song seemed to intensify as he cautiously took a step closer.

_quam benigna  
quam amoena_

The light suddenly faded from his eyes shrouding the Uchiha in a veil of darkness. The girl and the docks vanished from sight. All he could hear was her harmonious voice beneath the loud clashing of steel weapons and shouting. Where was he? The foul stench of blood and burning flesh suddenly overwhelmed his nose. An uncomfortably searing heat seemed to draw closer to the surface of his skin. Why couldn't he see? It was if his remaining senses had become increasingly acute to compensate for his lack of sight. But he still couldn't comprehend his surroundings or the events taking place before him.

_O castitatis lilium__!_

The Uchiha blinked forcefully as splotches of color seemed to reform before his eyes. The pink haired girl slowly turned her head gazing at the Uchiha with her piercing ocean blue eyes. He concentrated the flow of chakra to the soles of his feet anticipating an array of vectors to stream in his direction. She suddenly lost interest in the intruder and averted her gaze back to the pacifying, glittering waters. The wind combed through her vibrantly pink locks partially contained in a ponytail. The remaining hair stretched down to the midsection of her back. Izuna unsheathed his sword loudly hoping to invoke a fear-ridden reaction from the girl. Her impassive eyes seemed to be mesmerized by the rolling waves of the body of water. His hand quivered as he vigorously clutched the hilt of his katana. Her lack of alarm in his presence intrigued him yet broiled a sickening rage within his gut.

"Why do you not run?" He demanded. He sighed mentally as his radiating fury captured her attention.

The stoic Diclonius pivoted on her feet to face him. Despite her impudence, Izuna couldn't help but gawk at her exotic and exquisite beauty. He wanted her to scream, cry for help, beg for mercy, or at least attack in defense! Why did she not cower at his feet?

"It's useless. I've already accepted my short-lived fate." Her apathetic voice almost whispered.

The Uchiha's arms trembled in an attempt to curb his sweltering rage. Never had he felt so compelled to backhand a woman across the face. Why did her indifference afflict him like this? Why did she have to undermine the entertainment and adrenaline rush from the hunt? She glanced down at the steel blade quivering in his grip. She cupped the sides of the blade like a delicate flower and raised it to her chest.

Her full lips parted as she whispered softly. "Hurry up and do it. Impale my heart and toss my body into the water. Please set me free."

His fingers suddenly unraveled from the blade. The katana plummeted to the wooden docks and emitted a loud clinking sound. He hadn't intended to drop the weapon but a sudden dampness soaked the palm of his hand causing his fingers to tingle with numbness. The Diclonius furrowed her brow as the corners of her mouth descended into a disappointed scowl.

"Hmph. How comical. So the hawk has a soul." She turned away and ambled away from him.

"Wait!" Izuna called outstretching his hand in the air as if to stop her. "It's Izuna! My name is Uchiha Izuna!"

The girl glanced behind her shoulder and smirked. "So you aren't just a murderer with demon eyes and weapons? You have a name as well? Perhaps we've found some common ground."

"And your name?"

"Haruno Sango." She replied. "I'm glad we got to share the fact that both our mothers entitled us with decent names at the time of our births."

"Coral, huh. Like the color of your hair?" He folded his arms against his chest.

"I get that a lot…"

Izuna pressed his upper lip against the rough bandaging wrapped around his wrist. The Diclonius possessed a sarcastic sense of humor he found to be peculiarly endearing. He lifted his wrist away from his lip and smirked back at the Diclonius. "See you later, Koneko."

"Koneko?" Sango repeated.

"Well those horns do make you look more like a cat than a rabbit."

She spun around quickly before he could detect her sudden blush. She didn't know whether to regard his statement as a compliment or not but it certainly made her pleased.

Izuna returned to the same location the following day hoping to catch the alluring Diclonius. She stood on the ledge of the docks overlooking the waters. She was vulnerable and out in the open yet she still returned to the very spot.

She fixated her gaze on the waters as Izuna approached her from behind. "Have you become bored with your hunt?"

Izuna opened his mouth to retort but she pressed a finger to his full lips.

"Don't speak." Sango shushed the Uchiha. "I don't have much time left before I reunite with my sisters. Please heed my one last request."

Izuna's chest throbbed violently as those impassive lips curved into a serene smile.

"Before I depart this world…I want you to fill me with happiness."

Izuna suddenly grasped the girl by the waist and pulled her face into his lips. She pushed his forehead away with the palm of her hand and frowned.

"Can't you at least turn off your eyes?"

"Turn off my eyes? You want me to deactivate my sharingan?"

She nodded. "I want to see your real eye color."

"Fine." He sighed as his eyes faded to a dark shade of grey. "But you can't use your powers on me."

She blinked forcefully as his fingers tapped her broad forehead. "What did you just do?"

A cunning smirk graced the Uchiha's lips. "I inserted chakra into your pineal gland."

"Bastard…" She hissed yanking his long raven ponytail.

She jerked his head backward raising his chin in the air. She released the ponytail and nestled her head beneath the grove of his chin. She closed her eyes rubbing her round cheeks against the hardened muscle of his chest. He worked his hands around her back fumbling with the hook of her bra. She grasped his hands and maneuvered them back toward her face. She cupped his hand tenderly and rubbed her cheeks against the back of his hand. Izuna contorted his face as the Diclonius simply snuggled up to him and rejected his advances. Didn't she just ask for sex? The strange Diclonius displayed her affection unlike any human female he had encountered. She preferred cuddling and snuggling whereas his former lovers simply desired making out and intercourse. When he had tried to dominate her, she simply arched her body away from him and repositioned them into a hug or embrace. The aroused Uchiha loathed the fact that she forced him to work and deliberately tested his patience. He simply wanted her body at the moment but she wouldn't succumb so easily to his demands. The Uchiha discovered that the Diclonius did not prefer to submit as straightforwardly as a human female would. But, that discrepancy simply intensified his desire for the foreign being's body. Her breasts were far softer and suppler than any he had previously felt. She moaned in ecstasy as he traced and caressed the delicate contours of her large curves. He found it amusing as she would often snuggle up to every square inch of his body. The Diclonius' romantic ways were outlandish in his opinion yet he couldn't help but describe it as somewhat adorable.

The elder Uchiha watched from the distance as his younger brother passionately kissed the disgusting creature goodbye. He clenched his hands in fury as he observed the repulsive scene on the ledge of the dock.

"Please come back tomorrow. I have something special to give you." The Diclonius rested her soft hand on Izuna's cheek.

He waited for the younger Uchiha to depart before confronting the Diclonius alone. Sango clasped her hands together and inhaled the sweet lingering scent of the Uchiha on her skin.

"Haruno Sango…or should I call you Koneko?"

Sango glanced around to trace the source of the mysterious voice. The elder Uchiha stepped out of the darkness illuminating himself in the moonlight.

"If I recall, weren't you once infatuated with me?" Madara narrowed his crimson eyes. "Hn, trying to seduce my brother now? Your clan's attempt to survive is quite pathetic."

"Unlike you, Izuna isn't a complete monster!" The Diclonius gave a cat-like hiss.

"Bark on, filthy whore." Madara took a step forward. The Diclonius attempted to step backward in response until the heel of her foot nearly slipped off the edge of the wooden dock. "I know the ambitions of your kind. But you are now on the verge of extinction. There is no hope left for you."

Sango mentally smirked as the Uchiha took another step closer. The foolish man was now within her three meter range. She clenched her fists as her vectors shot in Madara's direction. She gasped as her vectors struggled to grasp onto solid flesh. The ethereal hands simply phased through the Uchiha's body as if he were a ghost. Madara merely stepped through her stream of vectors.

"Demon!" Sango cried out as he slowly approached her. "I hope the light forever fades from your monstrous eyes!"

"Shut up!" Madara seized the Diclonius by the throat. She struggled to gasp for air as he tightened his grip around her delicate airways. "You will quickly die when this illusion fades away. But before that happens, you _will_ reveal the location of the remaining Haruno."

An eerie scream echoed in the stagnant air.

Now finished with his subject, Madara cast the pink haired girl's body off the edge of the dock. The water danced upward into the air around her limp body. Her eyes slowly closed as the freezing yet soothing waters seemed to draw her within its embrace. She had wished for that ponytailed Uchiha to lay her body to rest amongst the waves. His kind gentle eyes…his firm muscles and the warmth of that chiseled chest. She longed to see her sisters eagerly awaiting her arrival but even that didn't provide her consolation. To her, nothing was as real as the comforting touch of his smooth hand. And she hadn't even received the chance to reward that poor horny man for his enduring patience…

_The Haruno had finally met their due fate thanks to that impudent girl. Although we were appointed as leaders of the Uchiha clan for our skill in driving those Haruno to extinction, Izuna did not attend our promotion ceremony. He instead visited the lake docks expecting that girl to suddenly rise from the dead and give him what he wanted. I find it ironic involving myself in the genocide of the Uchiha and the Haruno but I hold absolutely no regrets. Both the Uchiha and Haruno are damned clans destined for destruction. _

_

* * *

_A/N: One thing I'd like to bring up is that in the manga, Sakura is portrayed as a very touchy-feely character which is not the norm in Japanese culture. Well in this story now you know where she inherits those qualities from.


	13. Cheater

"Itachi? Itachi, are you still there?" The blue skinned shinobi whistled.

Itachi rubbed his eyes and glanced to his partner. Kisame carried the incapacitated body of a red haired man with the blade of his massive sword. He gave a triumphant grin and wiped his brow. "Didn't think this one would be as difficult."

"Kisame, please do me a favor." Itachi flashed his partner a solemn glance. Kisame widened his beady eyes as the Uchiha seemed to curb a troubled expression from gracing his face. He listened intently for his following words. "Take the jinchuuriki back to the base and continue on without me."

"But aren't you going to participate in the sealing?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. The sealing will take three days. In that time, all of the Akatsuki members will be occupied and Sakura will be alone."

"Hmph, going out of your way just to keep Koneko company? What shall I tell Pein?"

"Let him know I am busy attending to more important matters. He will not press any further questions."

Kisame watched the Uchiha as he prepared for departure. His body morphed into a flurry of black leathery feathers and rasping crows.

"That little cat has us all distracted." Kisame gave a weak laugh.

* * *

"Hide and seek?" Sakura contorted her face.

Clang! The lobe of the kunai slipped from Tobi's finger crashing to the hardwood flooring. They simultaneously stared at the clattering kunai and then back to each other.

"I'm not five years old!" She shouted furiously causing the masked shinobi to cower beneath his arm.

He gave a nervous laugh and scratched his head erratically. "Um…of course not!"

"Do you seriously believe I'm some sort of child?"

"What did you do to piss her off?" The blonde bomber entered through the front door. He looked to Sakura then scowled at Tobi. "I can hear you shouting from outside, yeah."

Sakura pressed her fingers to her mouth as Deidara flashed her an agitated glare. Deidara severed his glare from the Diclonius and pointed to a teal colored ring on his right index finger. "Another bijuu has been captured. Let's get going, Tobi."

"Wait, you're leaving? When's Sasori coming?" Sakura grasped onto the back of Deidara's cloak.

"I don't think he is coming, yeah." Deidara seemed to ponder to himself. "We're all needed for the sealing process."

"What?" Sakura exclaimed loudly as she rested her hands on her hips. "What about me?"

"I guess you're on your own, Koneko."

Tobi suddenly seized Sakura's hands and looked to Deidara. "Tobi will stay behind with her!"

"Uh, yeah…about that." Deidara grimaced. "That Uchiha won't be too thrilled if he saw you here."

"But it's not fair! Tobi wants to stay with Koneko!"

"You're pissing me off, yeah!" Deidara growled as he clutched onto the back of the collar of Tobi's cloak. He dragged the whining Akatsuki toward the front door. "If you quit complaining I'll let you visit Koneko when the sealing is over."

"Yay!" Tobi clasped his hands together as Deidara continued dragging him across the hardwood flooring.

Sakura watched the blonde lug the annoying masked man out the door. She sighed to herself and buried her face in her hands.

"Where are they going?" She asked herself. She forced another sigh knowing that no one would respond to that nagging thought.

Sakura couldn't help but pace up and down the hallway between the living room and bedroom. Was she really becoming _this_ dependent on those S-classed criminals to keep herself entertained? She had always been surrounded by people throughout her life. Perhaps it was time to cast aside the monophobia and simply tolerate this loneliness. She halted her steps and peered outside the window. Nothing but forestland in sight. Maybe she should've followed Deidara and Tobi. She heard the members constantly speak of their leader, Pein. She craved to see this mysterious man and learn of the incredible abilities he had to have possessed in order to lead such a notorious organization. A rapping noise suddenly startled the pink haired girl. She pivoted on her feet and instinctively answered the front door. The arrival of the raven haired Akatsuki dashed her hopes of welcoming home one of the more vibrant members.

"You didn't join the rest of the members?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

Itachi shook his head. "I'm not needed."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. Of all the members, why did he have to return? "Where did everybody go?"

"To perform the Illusionary Dragon Nine Consuming Seals..."

Itachi sighed as he deciphered Sakura's evidently mystified countenance.

"It's a three day long sealing technique used to extract a bijuu from its host."

"Three days?" Sakura grasped her pink locks as she grit her teeth.

Itachi watched as she secluded herself in her room as she habitually did in his presence. He rubbed his temples in frustration as his restrained demeanor prevented him from disturbing the Diclonius. There was little he could do to extract the girl from the refuge of the bedroom over the following two days.

Sakura stirred in her sleep as her skull throbbed violently. Something dark and amorphous seemed to flood her visual senses. It began to develop into a vaguely distinguishable humanoid silhouette sprouting an array of tail-like appendages. It appeared to have no discernible head-like structure although it possessed a distinct body. Sakura gaped in horror at the foul, disgusting creature restrained within a stone prison. The hairs on her arms stood erect as the massive creature emitted a horrific chakra. She couldn't help but scream as it opened a single set of eye lids.

"Sakura…" The monster spoke. It repeated her name in its foul voice.

She reeled backward and screamed yet again as its long chakra laden finger reached for her head.

"_Shinde_!"

"Sakura, stop!" Itachi's voice hollered. He panted heavily dripping streams of sweat from his brow. Her vectors phased through his chest ready to tear him apart in an instant. She lowered her head shadowing her eyes with her bangs. Itachi sighed in relief as she retracted her vectors and glanced away from him.

Itachi collapsed to his knees and leaned back against the wall to keep him upright as he struggled to gasp for air.

"You were screaming…" He said in between breaths.

"_Idiots_…" Sakura's voice spoke harshly.

Itachi widened his eyes. Something felt disturbingly aberrant about the pink haired girl.

"_Why did you help it_?" She hissed at him defiantly. Her jade eyes seemed glazed and feral.

Itachi scanned his mind for anything relevant to her last words. He shook his head taking deep inhalations to alleviate his rapid breathing.

"_Why do you keep helping that monster_?"

"What monster?"

"_The Cyclops_." Her deadpan voice sent chills through the surface of his skin. "_It's been getting stronger and more complete. It longs to finally break out of the rocks and enslave us all…and you mindless humans keep helping it_."

"The Cyclops in the rocks?" Itachi said quietly to himself. Were the rumors true? How had she known about the fabled being? "Sakura, please note that my participation in the Akatsuki is not to revive the monster you speak of."

Sakura suddenly grasped his hand and pulled him up onto the bed. "_If you are not allied with the monster then please…don't leave our side_."

She suddenly wrapped her arms around her arms around the Uchiha and buried her face in his shoulder. Our? Itachi thought to himself. Had another persona taken over the pinkette's personality? Something was connecting the Diclonius to the legendary monster but what? He returned the girl's embrace as she seemed to relax against his body. She buried herself down deeper into his chest and tightened her hold around him as if something were to come rip her away.

"Thank you…" The warmth returned to Sakura's voice.

The corners of Itachi's mouth drew into an upward arc as she seemed to rapidly doze off in his hold. He tapped her forehead just incase of any further close encounters. His hand stroked the sides of her rosy cheeks as she clutched onto his cloak and closed her eyes. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to stay like this for the rest of the night.

* * *

The silver haired medic nin sheered the chocolate colored hair off the scalp of a woman's corpse. Maybe he could determine more about the Diclonius' powers through her maternal DNA. He lowered the head of his lamp as he spotted an off-colored tint in the roots of the brunette. He continued sheering the scalp until he stumbled upon the remnants of an intriguing structure.

"So it appears we have a cheater." He licked his lips in fascination.

He rose from his chair to inform his master upstairs. He heard four distinct voices talking amongst each other as he ascended the stairway.

"Next is Itachi." The Uchiha kid spoke.

Three juvenile shinobi trailed behind him as they departed the lair. The bloodied fragments of scales and flesh of the snake sannin lay strewn in a trail behind the Uchiha.


	14. Assurance

A/N: I hope you guys had a great and candy filled Halloween. I spent the weekend in the hospital…I got owned by a bee. Don't underestimate those things o_o…

* * *

"Itachi…" Sakura's voice spoke.

He opened his eyes to find the Diclonius still resting her head on his chest.

"Why did you do it?"

He didn't feel the need to further inquire about the topic of her question. "Go back to sleep."

"Why do you not trust me?" Sakura sat up. Her bright jade orbs seemed to pierce into his skull.

"It does not concern you."

"Hmph. I have no reason to trust you either. How do I know everything you speak of is the truth?" The pinkette's eyes narrowed. "You could very well tow me off like my village did."

"Yet I haven't." He exhaled loudly.

She scowled as her defiance failed to break his impassive nature. She swung her knees over the ledge of the bed and stood on her feet. It disturbed her that Itachi didn't even bother to ask where she was heading.

"I hope the other members return soon." She hissed hoping to rouse a reaction from him.

Itachi glanced at an unfamiliar object dangling above her collar bone. "Where did you get that?"

"Get what?" Sakura folded her arms against her chest.

"That necklace."

She cupped the hawk pendant in the palm of her hand. "Tobi gave it to me."

Itachi's eyes widened as if something had struck him in the gut. Had the Uchiha been jealous of that obnoxious masked kid? His stolid expression quickly returned to his face.

"I did what I thought was right." Itachi sighed.

"What?"

"You asked me why I did it."

Sakura contorted her face in bewilderment. How could that answer possibly justify the genocide of an entire clan? Was there anything remotely "right" in slaughtering your friends and family? How she loathed the Uchiha's blunt and brief responses.

"Elaborate."

"I did what was necessary to ensure the balance of the village." He motioned for her to return to the bed. "You wanted me to be honest with you. Do you still distrust me?"

"That still doesn't make sense." Sakura stood her ground. Why couldn't the Uchiha give more straightforward answers? Why did his responses only continue to further confuse her? She felt as though he wanted to tell her more but a stitch within his chest prevented him from revealing any further information. Did he feel remorse for brutally exterminating his clan? Did he also possess that strange voice in the back of his mind as she did? She reminisced back to the events of her confrontation with Sasuke. That eerie voice drowned out the rest of her thoughts diminishing them to mere whispers. She felt obliged to abide by that mysterious voice and kill that redheaded kunoichi for the sake of her own pleasure. That damned voice which shattered her skull with every word it spoke…Perhaps Itachi had succumbed to the demands of his own inner voice.

"Itachi…" Sakura sat back on the ledge of the bed. "If I ever submit to my inner voice and kill a lot of people too…"

Itachi observed as her lips delicately traced the sound of her words.

"…I want you to kill me."

"Sakura…" He couldn't help but let her name slip from his tongue.

What was this inner voice she spoke of? Was this the compulsion of the Diclonius gene he had been informed of years ago? This petite pink haired girl was fully capable of causing destruction far beyond the magnitude of the Uchiha massacre. However, her rationale and inherent righteousness seemed to curb the evil of what could become of her. That despicable shell of a man had already come in contact with her. What was he planning exactly? The predictable nature of his malice elucidated the fact that he would inexplicably exploit her but how was he planning to execute such a notion? For now he could only attempt to thwart any chances he had of encountering the girl.

"Come here." Itachi reached behind her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder. He unhooked the hawk pendant and tossed it carelessly aside. He slipped off the three ringed chain from his neck. "This necklace suits you much better."

She flushed a deep cherry shade as his hands brushed the back of her neck. She leaned back against his chest again as he stroked the curvature of her horns. She grasped his hand and slid it down to her soft, round chest. Itachi groped the soft round tissue in his hand. He widened his eyes as she suddenly uttered a tiny mouse-like squeak.

"Something poked me!" She reached behind her head grabbing the skirt of a pillowcase. She slammed the pillow down onto something hard peaking beneath the blanket.

"Ugh…" Itachi covered his face with his hand as he uttered a pained groan. "…don't hit me."

He pushed her off his chest and sat up on the ledge of the bed. "I apologize. Please excuse me."

He felt something suddenly grasp the grove of his wrist. The Diclonius pressed her hand against her cheek and gave a devious smirk. "Um…Should I apologize to Chibi Itachi?"

Chibi Itachi? The straps of her teal nightdress hung loosely off the sides of her arms exposing her cleavage. Her pale cheeks radiated with heat as she patiently awaited a response. Perhaps now was his remaining chance. He would discard his inexpressive poise and concede to this girl if it meant fortifying her trust in him. Such a gesture would expose both of their vulnerabilities in the intimate manner he had once shared with his former girlfriend. He gave a defeated sigh and delicately laid Sakura on her back beneath his own body. He pressed his lips into the side of her neck. The cold moisture of his lips sent shivers from her neck down to the tips of her toes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and fumbled with the elastic band holding back his hair. His raven locks loosely fluttered down the sides of his shoulder barely brushing the apples of her cheeks. He slowly pulled her nightdress over her head exposing her pale bare body. Her breasts were far suppler than his girlfriend's as he could recall. She seemed to enjoy rubbing her soft velvety cheeks against his hardened hide. She grasped the hem of his blue v collar shirt beneath the mesh netting. Itachi stifled a gasp as the hem of his clothing suddenly yanked violently against his skin.

Rip!

He closed his eyes and buried his face in Sakura's chest.

"Itachi…?" Sakura sat up holding the shredded shirt.

Dismembered shreds of blue and navy fabric gracefully fluttered to the floor like fallen autumn leaves. Itachi's scorching red face lifted from her chest as he eyed the torn pieces of his pants and boxers.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked holding the pained Uchiha's chin within her hand.

If she had torn off his shirt with her hands then…

"Your powers have returned…"

Sakura blinked curiously as his face melted back into her chest. Her recovery time had become drastically shorter than the last period he recalled. The pain in his groin distracted him from brooding too long on the thought. This was the second time she had assaulted his groin so far during their intimate encounter. Madara had once stated "to lie with a Diclonius is to toy with death." Perhaps the statement did possess some degree of truth. The girl is simply inexperienced. He deduced. She did not intend to give him a painful wedgie in her attempt to strip him. She's merely clumsy. He took a moment to catch his breath and mentally pacify his pain. He scanned his Akatsuki cloak for a small circular wrapper. It was rumored that the Diclonii reproduced like rabbits. Their kind depended on higher fecundity to sustain their numbers. She was probably unaware of the fact but perhaps she wouldn't mind the extra precautions.

* * *

"Koneko…?"

His nails nearly penetrated through his own skin as his hand rattled vigorously. He raised his fingers leaving small crescent shaped imprints in the palm of his hand. He didn't need his eyes to reveal the origin of the curious noises coming from the small house.

"You've had your way for far too long." The dark haired man clawed his fingernails in the spongy cork of the tree bark. He ripped a shred of the bark and hoisted it in the direction of the house as if it could do damage. He wanted so badly to destroy that infuriating man and his obstructive ways. He had even betrayed the Akatsuki by playing hooky during the sealing process in order to gain the advantage. How dare that conniving Uchiha challenge him! "You can't have everything you want. Make your decision…will it be your brother or the girl?"


	15. Decision

"Are we going to stop and rest anytime soon? The sun is just about to rise." Suigetsu sighed loudly.

"We only stop when Sasuke-kun says we can." Karin hissed at the whining boy.

Sasuke remained silent as the redhead and swordsman bickered amongst each other. Now that he harnessed the snake sannin's abilities he could taste the sweet tang of victory on the very tip of his tongue. That heartless butcher would finally meet his merited death. He could finally cleanse the blood of his brethren with the shattered skull of that deceitful sibling. He mentally rehearsed the course of his actions and the results repeatedly. The very thought of Itachi's devastated composure at the sight of his newfound power edged a smirk on the Uchiha's lips. Who lacked hatred now? He wanted so badly to taunt Itachi with the words that haunted his very existence since their last confrontation. Although his comrades lagged exhaustedly behind his back, he walked with preeminence in his step as the notion of retaliation vibrated within his core.

Karin halted abruptly as a powerful chakra seemed to close in on the group. This chakra seemed to bear a resemblance to Sasuke's yet radiated a sinister undertone. "Sasuke…it has to be him. Your brother's chakra is nearing us very fast."

"Hi ya!"

Karin shrieked as a flash of orange suddenly emerged from beneath the earth. A man wearing an orange mask put his hands to his hips standing before the party. He bent sideways from the waist and outstretched his arm.

"Nothing like a good stretch in the morning to stay in shape, don't you agree?"

Karin's face flushed a turbid shade of white. Was this…Sasuke's brother? The rest of Team Hebi simultaneously flashed Sasuke looks of utter incredulity. This buffoon was the sinister, bloodthirsty, downright atrocious butcher of the Uchiha clan? The man proceeded to squat and stretch his hamstrings as the kids continued exchanging awkward glances.

"This is your brother? This is the infamous Uchiha Itachi?" Suigetsu cocked a single eyebrow as he pressed his hands to his hips.

"You bear the Akatsuki attire. You must associate with my brother." Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Hmm…perhaps."

"Where is Itachi?" Sasuke demanded as the masked man didn't bother looking him in the face.

"You have to ask nicely." He wagged his finger at the impatient Uchiha.

Sasuke rapidly drew his katana and brandished the blade. "Don't play games with me. Where is Itachi?"

"Well if you want to know that badly…" The masked man pushed away the blade with the palm of his hand. "I can take you there quickly."

Sasuke glanced back at the three shinobi. "Stay here. I will return soon."

Karin clasped her hands together. She whispered into her interlaced fingers. "Please come back, Sasuke-kun…"

* * *

Itachi rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as the sunlight illuminated his eyelids. Sakura's side of the bed was vacant. He figured she probably rose early enough to surprise him with breakfast. He gave a hushed sigh of relief. The intercourse itself wasn't as bad as he had anticipated given the events preceding it. He was fortunate enough to still have his genitals intact after that girl's clumsy yet affectionate way of loving. He stared down at the torn fabric strewn across the hardwood floor and lingered out of bed like a zombie. Fortunately, he had packed enough clothing for his extended stay at the secluded house.

Sakura avoided pouring massive amounts of syrup on the cake as Hidan's voice mentally berated her. She set the bottle on the tray and listed the remaining items necessary to complete her flawlessly crafted breakfast cake. Strawberries! She fished the refrigerator for the fresh, delectable fruit toppings. After providing the finishing touches to her prized culinary masterpiece she knocked on the bedroom door. She gave a disappointed scowl as no one responded. She entered the bedroom and sighed as Itachi's previous spot on the bed was bare. A loud rasping noise suddenly startled her. She set the tray down on the bed and headed toward the source of the noise.

"Itachi?"

She stood behind the bathroom door as the coughing sound seemed to intensify. Sakura clasped her hands together staring down at the floor. Had he caught a cold last night? His cough sounded much more vigorous beyond a simple cold. Perhaps a hot cup of tea could alleviate his symptoms. The raven haired man opened the door slightly ajar.

"Itachi? Are you sick? Would you like some tea?" Sakura prodded the door further open.

He slipped on the Akatsuki cloak and shook his head. "I am not sick."

"But you were just coughing…"

"I'm fine."

"I can retrieve some medicine."

"I'm in perfect health."

"…_usotsuki_!*" Her voice suddenly hissed.

Silence passed between the two as Itachi gazed into her glassy jade eyes. Those piercing eyes seemed to fill with distrust and suspicion. He felt an eerie aura spring from the scowling Diclonius. Perhaps the girl was far more perceptive than he had anticipated. She suddenly clasped her hands together and chirped mirthfully.

"I made breakfast!"

Itachi felt the hairs on his arm stand erect. He tackled the Diclonius sending her skull straight into the wall. An illuminant streak of blue lightning projected through the wooden wall into their previous position. Itachi furrowed his brow as the projectile lightning dissipated into a few mere veins of electricity. He quickly rose to his feet and headed for the door.

"Stay in the house."

Sakura rubbed her aching cranium and glanced up at the deadpan Uchiha. It was evident he was repressing any degree of panic from gracing his face.

"But…"

"Don't follow me!"

Sakura hoisted her upper body until she sat up to her knees. What was happening? Why was he excluding her?

Itachi stood before the determined Sasuke lusting for his final chance at attaining revenge. The two brothers locked eyes for an extended duration before finally engaging in words.

"You don't know how long I've waited for this moment." Sasuke rolled his fingers into a tightly clenched fist. Itachi could vaguely feel the scorching heat emanating from the hostile brother.

Sakura slowly rose to her feet as she massaged the back of her head. She gasped loudly as she witnessed her worst fear occurring beyond the glass window. The two Uchihas had finally confronted each other.

"No!" She screamed as she rushed toward the front door.

"I wouldn't go out there if I were you." An unfamiliar voice spoke.

Sakura snapped her head in the direction of the voice. A raven haired man slowly closed in behind her carrying a plate of her strawberry cake. His long spiky hair shadowed his right eye and fell down to his waist. He wore the black robes she had often recognized Uchiha clansmen sporting.

He shoveled a bite of the cake in his mouth and licked the fork. "This cake is exquisite. Did you make it yourself?"

How dare he steal Itachi's cake! She hissed at the man and wrapped her fingers around the door knob. "I don't have time to talk about cake!"

She opened the door slightly ajar only to have it slammed back shut. A much larger hand pressed against the wooden panel of the door.

"I'll let you in on a little spoiler." He removed his hand from the door and twirled the fork around his finger. "Sasuke wins."

"What…? How would you know?" She frowned as he seemed more absorbed with the cake than the events occurring outside.

"Itachi is fated to lose."

Sakura peered out the window once again. Her view of the brothers was barricaded by a wall of intermingling red and black flames. The strange man pressed his face against the glass beside her.

"Hehe. So he really does plan to exhaust himself before his death. That man bears so many intriguing secrets. Don't you agree?"

"Are you saying Itachi is staging his own death?" Sakura peeled her face away from the window rapidly.

"Well, I wouldn't say 'staging' necessarily. He will indeed die once he depletes his stamina."

"Why is he fighting if he is aware he will lose?"

"It's simple. His death will mark Sasuke a hero. Itachi had a choice—either die for the sake of Sasuke or runaway like a coward and survive for your sake. I believe his decision is quite obvious. He always placed his younger brother's welfare far above the sake of all else. Too bad his brother will never know the truth from Itachi's own words. He has never been the trustworthy type given his forged attempts at sincerity."

"The truth?"

"He's a double agent on behalf of Konoha. In order to suppress the rebellious plans of the Uchiha clan to overtake the village, the Konoha elders ordered him to massacre the Uchiha in one clean sweep. Being a pacifist, Itachi sought to protect the village from his own people. At first he rejected the notion, but then he claimed he had a revelation and accepted the task even if it would brand him a criminal and pariah. Quite a sad story, am I not correct?"

"I refuse to believe that." Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"Well, it's too late. Itachi has already made his decision." The man took another bite of cake.

"I will not accept it. Itachi can still make things right without sacrificing himself. He must tell Sasuke the truth behind his intentions."

"You certainly are naïve! Do you really believe Sasuke would forgive Itachi even if he told him his heinous actions were committed for the sake of peace? How ridiculous."

"Urusai…**" Sakura clutched her skull as his words seemed to penetrate her chest.

"Sasuke was born an avenger. His lust for vengeance is insatiable."

"Urusai…"

"You know nothing of Uchiha Sasuke."

"_Urusai_!"

The window suddenly shattered sending tiny fragments of glass in the living room like a raging hailstorm. The door fell from the hinges as the frame seemed to assume a deformed, warped shape. The man stared at the glass shards littered around his feet.

"Olé…" He tossed aside the shattered section of the plate that once held his slice of cake and gave a slight laugh. "Somehow I knew that would happen."

"How are you still standing?" Sakura hissed as the black haired man gave another laugh. Had her vectors missed him at such close range?

His hand suddenly seized her throat. She screamed as the man's onyx eyes assumed an unfamiliar pattern she had not recognized in the characteristic sharingan. Her body fell limply in his grasp as her jade orbs seemed to be sucked in by his demonic red eyes. He smirked feeling her body and spirit slowly succumbing to his ocular power. He could barely detect the presence of her spirit within the dark depths of her mind. His jutsu was successfully drowning her within the shroud of darkness. He furrowed his brow as two apparitions began to form before his eyes. Two nude horned girls stood before him side by side. The one on the right held her head high radiating defiance from her bright jade orbs. The other hung her head low shadowing her eyes with her pink tresses. The girl on the right emanated a lustrous blue chakra in her fist while the other apparition summoned an array of ethereal hands.

"Shannaro!"

"_Shinde_!"

The man's body reeled backward as he was forcibly expelled from the depths of her mind. He felt a warm liquid ooze from the creases of his lower eyelids. He touched his hand to his eyes and gave a smirk as he glanced upon the streaks of red on his palm. He wiped the blood on the sides of his pants and looked to the open door exposing the house to the outside world. The girl had already departed in her pathetic attempt to interrupt the brawling brothers. He gave a slight chuckle to himself as he wiped the blood from his eyes.

"You are certainly more intriguing than I initially thought."

Itachi widened his eyes as his younger brother's ingenious use of natural elements finally came into fruition. The wild lightning beast roared vociferously among the pitch-black clouds. This offensive move would certainly deplete Sasuke's chakra reserve. However, his only chance at defense against this brutal attack would deplete his own chakra reserve consequently resulting in his death. He had to cast his final jutsu if he wished to bestow his legacy upon his younger brother. The lightning beast suddenly cast down upon the landscape illuminating the forest in a bright blue wave of light. Itachi widened his eyes as the skeleton of his jutsu failed to materialize. Something seemed to hinder the flow of his chakra preventing the formation of his ultimate defense as Sasuke's mythical creature raged toward him. This was it…he staring his fate, the howling wave of lightning, head on. Perhaps the scheme of his demise was essentially defective. If only he…

The monstrous jutsu suddenly dissipated as it impacted a wall of sapphire light blanketing Itachi in its embrace. Itachi blinked forcefully as the lightning seemed to fade in faint vein-like streaks.

"Impossible!" Sasuke shouted as he collapsed to his knees. He wiped the sweat from obstructing his vision.

Two enlarged hands seemed to gently cup Itachi within its hold. A blue chakra illuminated the silhouette of the non corporeal hands. Had his Susanoo assumed an anomalous shape? The lustrous lighted hands seemed to fade away in small speckled particles.

"_That's enough_…" A pneumatic voice spoke.

The pink locks of the Diclonius fluttered wildly as the wraithlike stream of hands whipped around her body in an arbitrary manner. The fierce flurry of vectors parted the barricade of black flames forging an artificial pathway for her entry. The charcoal flames danced and receded in accord with the fierce motion of the thrashing vectors.

"…Sakura." Sasuke widened his stinging eyes as the Diclonius approached the Uchiha brothers with the virtuous poise of a deity.

"Please…stop this." Tears dripped from the brilliant jade orbs. "I can't bear to lose either of you…"

"Sakura, get back inside the house." Itachi scowled as she drew closer.

Sasuke struggled to rise back to his feet flashing the girl a callous glare. "If you ruin my fight, I will never forgive you, Haruno Sakura!"

The vectors suddenly fell limp as she clutched her chest. Both men gazed upon her with utter resentment in their crimson eyes. Their faces suddenly seemed so…grotesque. The harshness of their raging eyes seemed to thrust daggers into her very being.

"Please, just end this by telling him the truth." Sakura choked on her words as she turned toward the elder Uchiha.

"There is nothing more to be said." Itachi stated bluntly.

"_Usotsuki_!" She yelled the second time that morning. She hammered her fist into his firm chest. He caught her in his arms as she wept in his hold. "Please…I beg of you to give the truth. Tell Sasuke why you massacred the clan."

Sasuke grit his teeth at the repulsive sight before him. Why was that soulless monster holding his former teammate so intimately? Why was she informed of the motives behind the massacre? Why was _she_ his confidant?

"I slaughtered the Uchiha clan…" Itachi sighed as the two pairs of anxious eyes locked on him. "…simply to test my abilities."

Sakura felt a profound spasm wrack her stomach. Sasuke's entire body trembled vigorously as if he were to spontaneously combust. He siphoned one last nuance of chakra to the pads of his fingers.

"Teme!"

Itachi grunted as he suddenly collided with the dirt. Something had tossed his body aside like a meager ragdoll. He quickly rubbed the coarse dirt from his eyelids and raised his head. A deafening scream resonated in his ears sending an eerie chill through the columns of his spine. He forced himself to sit up and orient himself toward the origin of the shrill scream. The Diclonius staggered backward as her eyes rolled backward in their sockets. The projectile lightning stemmed from Sasuke's hand penetrating her directly in the chest.

* * *

* "Liar" in Japanese

** "Shut up!" in Japanese


	16. Betrayal

"Shit…" Sasuke cursed to himself. He had focused his eyes on the heart of the butcher standing before him. How could he have missed his target? He watched the pinkette plummet backward like a lifeless doll. She wheezed and croaked loudly with every forced breath she tried to take. What compelled her to protect that monster and take on the attack in his stead? He felt an excruciating knot pulsate within his gut as he gazed upon the vulnerable girl struggling to intake air.

"Sakura…"

Sakura…the feeble, lovesick kunoichi from Team 7. This fatally wounded girl hyperventilating on the earth before him. The weak, annoying girl he recalled from his days in Konoha. That irritating vulnerability of hers had always stirred anger within his gut yet he couldn't help but feel a sense of tranquility emanate from her helpless body. He reminisced back to the days of the chuunin exams when she had been held hostage by that crazed Sand jinchuuriki. She had foolishly plunged herself in front of the psychotic boy only to be suffocated by his attack. He remembered catching that limp doll from plummeting to the ground. He had placed her before Pakkun and gazed into her unconscious face…that serene, perfect face. His chest suddenly impacted the hard soil beneath him. He clutched the dirt within his fingers hoping to alleviate the haziness obscuring his vision.

Itachi winced as his right shoulder rippled with a nauseating pain. She had unintentionally dislocated his shoulder in her panicked attempt to hurl him out of the path of Sasuke's Chidori Sharp Spear. He glanced to Sasuke then to the wheezing Diclonius. Something suddenly began to materialize in a vortex of orange and black.

"Quite an incredible display of power." The masked Akatsuki stated as he glanced down at the fatally wounded Sakura. "You would've been dead either way if you chose to take on the Kirin or summon Susanoo."

Itachi watched as the masked man gathered the Diclonius in his arms. "You really owe your pathetic life to this girl. Inserting chakra into her vectors to suppress your chakra and block Sasuke's final attack. Simply ingenious. It's really a shame you chose to protect your brother's belief in your lie instead."

Itachi struggled to stand only to be hindered by his lack of stamina and the pain within his shoulder.

"You know you can't save everything, Itachi…"

Itachi watched helplessly as he departed with the girl's body in a swirl of distorted colors. He heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Itachi? What happened here? Where's Koneko?" Sasori teleported before the Uchiha. He glanced around at the ravaged environment.

"Please, take me to the base." Itachi stated urgently. "We need to find Tobi."

"What about him?" Sasori's eyes flickered to the unconscious Sasuke.

"Leave him. I believe his recruits will return for him."

* * *

"Itai…itai…itai…itai…*"

She whimpered as the throbbing pain within her chest wracked her with an overwhelming nausea.

"Itai…itai…itai…itai…"

Her voice quivered with every syllable she managed to vocalize. Tears streamed from her eyes as the agony seemed to intensify. She couldn't help but repeat the same utterance to quell the pain.

"Itai…itai…itai…itai…"

"Itai, itai?" A contemptuous voice spoke. "I mended your wounds yet you still snivel? Do you need a sedative to alleviate your pain?"

The raven haired man leaned against the frame of the doorway. He played with the plastic tubing of a syringe within his fingers. He ambled to her bedside and sat down beside her as she continued repeating herself.

"There are two ways to restrain a Diclonius' powers." She pursed her lips shut as he spoke again. "You can insert chakra into the pineal gland or my favorite method…"

His charcoal eyes narrowed ominously. "…subject it to excruciating pain."

She whimpered loudly as he continued twirling the syringe mockingly before her eyes.

"I warned you Itachi was not a trustworthy man yet you refused to believe me. He would've never told the truth no matter how much you begged and pleaded. He would've taken the truth with him to his own grave. You did not save Itachi from anything. You simply delayed his inevitable death. I bet he never informed you he was terminally ill."

Sakura felt as though he had poured stinging salt inside her chest wound. Why did Itachi lie to her? What had he hoped to achieve by betraying her like this?

"To him, Sasuke's life is worth more than the village or even the world combined. However, he was well aware of the fact that his brother was the antithesis of his own self. Itachi is a sympathetic pacifist while Sasuke will always lust for hatred and vengeance regardless of the circumstances. To that kid, forgivingness and empathy are foreign concepts he would never comprehend regarding Itachi's intentions behind the massacre. It's too bad Sasuke wasn't born a woman." He tilted his head inquisitively as he pondered his last statement. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Sakura remained silent as her body trembled beneath the bed sheets. The man suddenly reached out and rested his fingers along the grove of her cheek. "Don't worry I won't betray you like he did."

She shifted her head away from the touch of his hand and shut her eyes forcefully. He removed the cap from the injection needle. "How about I administer the sedative if you do me one favor."

She opened her eyelids and glanced at the sharp bevel of the needle.

"Sing to me."

Her countenance seemed baffled as she could not comprehend the intention behind his request.

"Sing me that song in the foreign language. They say a Diclonius' song can invoke images of death and destruction. If I listen to your song will I see…my own reflection?" He gave a conceited laugh to himself. He suddenly plunged the syringe in the junction of her forearm and elbow. "I'm just kidding."

It took a moment for her body to finally relax into the bed. She slowly closed her eyelids and parted her lips slightly open. He grasped a lock of the cherry blossom pink hair and rubbed the strands between two fingers. How was she here? Her very existence marked the failure of his imperative mission many years back. How had the Diclonius gene managed to manifest itself now despite the extinction of the Haruno clan? He longed to plunge his katana directly in the heart of that defiant rabbit yet he couldn't help but gaze at the Diclonius in awe. The girl's essence presented a foremost flaw in his meticulously formulated and definitive plan. This certain Diclonius defied the revered Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha clan. She resisted the Tsukuyomi, parted the flames of Amaterasu, and suppressed the formation of Susanoo. She had to be some kind of hybridized being bearing two dichotomous souls. Perhaps she was the very quintessence of the maternal goddess Izanami herself or even a demon hiding beneath the skin of a woman. Or she could be the Mitochondrial Eve of a new mutation within the Diclonius lineage. Whatever she was, the rush of intriguing thoughts concerning the mysterious creature began to fill him with a burning sense of excitement and fervor. The girl seemed to stiffen as he cautiously climbed over the top of her and unraveled her petite body from the layers of blanketing. Her eyelids fluttered partway open as she felt something curiously prodding her inner thigh. Her vision was obscured by his raven locks draping down onto her face.

"_Shinde_!"

A tuft of the black hair dispersed into a flurry of freed strands. A smirk graced his thin lips. "Oh, that was a close one."

He continued to casually peel off her underwear as if nothing had happened. She brushed the loose strands from her glazed eyes and squirmed beneath the man's weight. She grasped the crown of his skull with her vector lifting his head away from her chest as he fumbled with the bandaging wrapped around her wound.

"_Who are you_?"

"Relax. You have no reason to fear me. I've decided you're far too valuable to kill."

Her glossy eyes widened as she grit her teeth and attempted to rip the intrusive man's head off. He simply grinned as her vector phased through the top of his scalp.

"_Impossible_!" She snarled as she summoned a higher quantity of vectors.

Her vectors whipped wildly as she frantically attempted to dismember the man's body. He glanced back at the shredded pieces of fabric flying from the sheets of the bed. She struggled to grasp any solid matter of his body only to have her vectors pass through him like a specter. His eyes flickered back to her face as she panted out of shear apprehension. He rested his hand on her heaving chest and flashed her a seductive grin.

"Keep resisting. It's turning me on."

"_Why? Why aren't my hands working_?"

His breath suddenly slithered into the cup of her ear. "You may be capable of killing a hundred men in an instant…but you cannot kill me."

He pressed his hand into her thigh as struggled to roll her hips away from him. She desperately tried to arc away from him feeling as feeble and useless as the days prior to the acquisition of her new power. Her staccato breaths intensified in magnitude as he tasted the curve of her breast rapaciously. He ignored her hysterical vectors tearing up the bed sheets and pounding fist-shaped indents into the sides of the walls.

"_Yamete-yo…yamete-yo_…" She exhaled her pleas.

"Are you not having fun? I admit, I was purely bored. I just wanted something to play around with. You know that sedative I gave you? I didn't give it to you to ease your pain."

Her body shivered beneath the iciness of his tone.

"I used it to incapacitate that dominant personality of yours. I figured it would be easier to play around with one spirit instead of two."

Her body began to heave violently as she hyperventilated hysterically beneath him. His eyes morphed into a bright shade of crimson patterned with the unfamiliar tomoe outline. He cupped her chin in his hand forcing her to gaze into the red orbs of his power.

"Just try not to faint." He laughed as her fearful heart thundered beneath his chest. "After all…you are my precious Eve."

Her head snapped backward slamming her skull against the solid wall. An earsplitting scream resonated within the walls of the unfamiliar lair lingering in the air like a stagnant haze.

* * *

* "It hurts" in Japanese


	17. Homesickness

He finished up and glanced down at the lifeless Diclonius beneath him. She had crashed her own skull against the wall rendering herself unconscious. He sat up with a jerking motion as something seemed to nag his gut. The other Akatsuki members had become closely attached to the girl. Itachi would most likely persuade the other members into retrieving the girl and ruin his guise. He rested his head against the back of his hand pensively. If that brat were to interfere with his plans…His fingers curled stiffly as he let out a forced sigh. No, he would never grant Itachi that opportunity. He had already depredated the rabbit's body and tormented that elusive personality of hers but it still wasn't enough. He yearned to make that young man suffer until the very last minute of his life. The thought of his subtle defiance and futile attempts at playing hero forced the man to grit his teeth. He was Uchiha Madara! The Hawk, the revered leader of the Uchiha clan, the co-founder of Konoha! That pathetic pacifist had no authority using _his_ subordinates to conceal and protect the girl. Madara gnashed his teeth as he recalled Deidara once stating that Itachi would be upset if he knew of his presence among the girl. The foolish man had spared his little brother's life and even failed retrieving the Kyuubi a few years ago before the kid could gain the opportunity to become much more powerful. Damn that man and his defiant ways!

He glanced at the serene Diclonius breathing in a serene cadence. His fuming rage dissipated in the release of a pompous laugh. He rose from the bed and gathered the limp ragdoll pinkette in his arms.

"Do you miss your comrades?" He asked the unresponsive girl as if anticipating an answer. "Don't worry. I'll return you home."

* * *

"Itachi…Itachi…?"

A blue hand rattled the Uchiha back to full attentiveness. He glanced at the five Akatsuki members gathered around the wreck room table.

"Goddamn Uchiha!" Deidara roared as he pressed the palms of his hands against the surface of the table. "I can't believe you lost Koneko!"

"Calm down, Deidara." The redheaded puppet master stated coolly. "He said Koneko was with Tobi."

Kakuzu's beady green eyes flashed to Itachi. "Impossible. Tobi is currently on a mission with Zetsu to Iwa. They left to capture the five-tailed bijuu in Iwa after the sealing."

Kisame glanced at the downcast Uchiha. His partner had never displayed any nuances of emotion regardless of any circumstance. Although she was affectionate toward the rest of the Akatsuki, he was aware the Diclonius had refused to interact with Itachi during his stays at the house. Had the girl gone missing as a result of her aversion toward the Uchiha? Was he mentally berating himself for this indiscretion? He had never seen such ardor arise from Itachi which didn't consist of matters concerning his brother. Prior to the girl's retrieval, Itachi had begun to act bizarre. He would often hush Kisame during missions and ask him if he had also heard singing. Naturally, Kisame would find Itachi's peculiar imagination amusing and simply stated that Itachi's other innate senses had magnified to compensate for his diminishing vision. Had Itachi known something about the Diclonius the other members were unaware of? Why was that stoic man so involved with that chipper little pink haired girl?

Itachi shifted his eyes to Kisame and glanced down at the table. His arm had been placed in a sling crafted by Sasori to mend his dislocated shoulder. Although a soft murmur resonated in the clammy wreck room, he shifted uncomfortably perturbed by an eerie silence. That melodious, chilling voice had suddenly come to a hush. Before her retrieval, he had heard a faint lamenting song within his ears. He recognized the melody of the foreign tune he had heard many years ago. That haunting song had seemed to intensify in magnitude as he learned of the distressed girl's confinement within the snake sannin's laboratory. Despite the Diclonius' current distress, he could no longer hear the despondent voice that wrenched his very core. Madara must have disclosed his location to Sasuke in order to corner him and Sakura. That deceptive bastard! Now this silence…was it possible? Had Madara…killed Sakura? A scorching heat pulsated through Itachi's veins although a frigid wetness chilled his brow. He lowered his head allowing his long bangs to veil his eyes.

"I'm going to Iwa to find Koneko" Deidara suddenly erupted beneath the murmur. "It's my home turf anyway, yeah."

Sasori glanced to his partner and nodded. "I'll check the house for any evidence regarding her location."

Hidan and Kakuzu exchanged unison nods. Hidan folded his arms and gave a pompous smirk. "We'll help find that kitty."

Kisame rested his hand on Itachi's sound shoulder and grinned. Itachi glanced up at the optimistic gilled Akatsuki. He hoped her silence was simply a discrepancy of his imperfect perception but he could not bear to inform the others of her probable fate.

* * *

"Stop saying that! Sasuke's sitting right here!" The loud redhead clouted her obnoxious comrade on the top of the skull.

"I didn't say that he lost. But Itachi's still alive, right?" Suigetsu massaged his aching scalp.

Jugo glanced to Sasuke then to the bickering teammates. The Uchiha seemed to be deeply disturbed by his inconclusive battle with his loathsome brother.

"That's enough." Sasuke rose to his feet. "I'm going to bed."

His three recruits watched as he retreated to the bedroom. He dropped to his knees and slipped beneath the covers hoping to stifle the noise coming from the continuously bickering Karin and Suigetsu in the next room.

"Uchiha Sasuke." A voice spoke.

Sasuke quickly sat up as something materialized on the window sill. The strange masked Akatsuki tilted his head sideways as he glanced down at Sasuke.

"That battle was incredible yet disappointing." His voice ascended in awe. "But it was a shame the girl thwarted your ever-so-close victory."

"What do you want?" Sasuke uttered a low growl.

"Although you may not be aware, I am your ally. I am closer to you than you think."

"Who are you?"

His demonic red eye flickered from beneath the dark spherical hole of his mask. "My name is Uchiha Madara."

This man was also a surviving Uchiha? He gave a weak laugh and continued speaking. "I came to tell you the truth that girl begged Itachi to reveal. You see, Itachi has never been honest with you. It's ironic the Diclonius knows more of your brother than you."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the mention of Sakura's specie. She had assumed Itachi's position and taken the full force of his Chidori Sharp Spear in his stead. Why had she chosen to die for that traitorous monster!

"What Itachi absolutely could not bear to tell you was the fact that he was a double agent on behalf of Konoha."

Sasuke widened his eyes and listened intently for his following words.

"Konoha had always subjugated the Uchiha clan ever since the attack of the Kyuubi. The Konoha elders suspected the Uchiha clan for formulating the attack even though the Kyuubi's rampage was simply a natural occurrence. Under the tyrannical pressure of the village, the Uchiha clan planned a coup d'état. The Konoha elders feared a civil war would leave the country vulnerable to external influences and manipulated Itachi into executing their dirty work."

"Manipulated…?" Sasuke clenched the blanket vigorously.

"Yes." Madara smirked beneath his mask. "The Sandaime's counsel had Itachi's will wrapped perfectly around the tips of their fingers. They pressured the young ANBU captain into slaughtering his own kin without blood on Konoha's hands. You were fated to defeat Itachi before the fight even began. Itachi had planned to die by your hands in order to instate you as a hero to Konoha. If that Diclonius hadn't interfered, he would have died without ever revealing the truth to you."

Itachi had massacred his friends, family, comrades…their mother and father…simply because Konoha sought to protect its own stability and reputation? That goddamned village he had called home…those manipulative, reckless people now enjoyed a superficial peace due to the blood shed by his own clan!

"Poor Itachi." Madara feigned a sympathetic tone. "He will always be the slave of Konoha."

"Shut up!" Sasuke's voice roared as his fist slammed into the hardwood flooring. "If Itachi is going through these drastic measures to serve the village then I know who is truly at fault. I want those vile people to suffer the anguish they have bestowed upon me and my clan. I want to turn their laughter and joy into screams of agony! I want to crush Konoha and all it stands for!"

Wonderful. Madara wet his lips in delight. The young Uchiha was more imprudent and impulsive than he had initially anticipated.

"I want to destroy that village as soon as possible." Sasuke stated abruptly.

"I believe there is someone who shares your very same goals. Your ally patiently awaits your arrival at the village gates."


	18. Assault

Sasuke and Team Hebi had finally reached the thick forests on the outskirt of the western Konoha gates. They ventured closer toward the grandeur iron gates until Sasuke detected the presence of an obscure figure. He froze stock still as the hooded figure snapped its head in his direction.

"_You've finally arrived_." A callous feminine voice spoke. "_I'm here on behalf of Madara-sama_."

Karin suddenly released an apprehensive gasp. She clasped her hands over her mouth as the hooded figure glanced in her direction.

_Would you be sad if this girl died?_

A chill trickled down the redhead's spine as those icy words echoed in her mind. It couldn't be possible. Sasuke mentioned the girl had taken full force of his attack during his battle with Itachi. That voice had indisputably belonged to that creepy Diclonius girl but something seemed inexplicably contradictory. At the apex of the Diclonius' violent outburst her entire network of chakra had vanished entirely. However, she sensed a vaguely distinct sinister chakra radiating from the girl's body. This ominous chakra seemed to assume an almost humanoid silhouette.

"Karin, hello?" Suigetsu poked the petrified redhead on the shoulder. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

Karin wiggled her numb fingers to restore her diminished sensitivity. "I'm fine!"

"What are you doing?" Sasuke hissed as the hooded girl ambled toward the entrance of the gates. "You can't just walk up to the entrance like that. There are guards."

"Hey, are you stupid?" Suigetsu shouted as the accomplice disregarded their warnings.

A piercing scream suddenly reverberated in the brisk air followed by another. The iron gated structure suddenly parted open as the ethereal hands pried the spokes apart. Team Hebi trailed behind the forced entrance carved by the accomplice. Sasuke glanced down at the two beheaded guardians carelessly strewn in front of the entrance—Izumo and Kotetsu the chuunin examiners and assistants to the Godaime. He quickly glanced away from the gruesome sight and muttered gravely. "Sakura…"

The girl removed her hood revealing her smirking face. She suddenly stopped and stroked her chin inquisitively. "_Hn. Now that we're here, who should we visit first? How about that sneaky martyr?" _

Sai peered at the elderly man standing before the crowd of male followers. He quickly jotted notes in his sketchpad as the enigmatic leader bellowed to his organization. The humidity within the underground chambers had exhausted the members although they keenly audited Danzo's lecture.

* * *

"_Konbanwa_!*"

The gathering suddenly raised their heads in unison. The Diclonius and Uchiha suspended from the ceiling as they concentrated chakra into the soles of their feet.

"Shimura Danzo…" Sasuke snarled as his red eyes radiated fury.

"_I believe you know why we're here_." Sakura leapt down behind the crowd. Sasuke hastily followed behind her.

Sai stepped backward as her glazed jade eyes seemed to penetrate his core. That Diclonius girl was undeniably lusting for her vengeance. He retreated backward as a portion of the crowd charged foolishly toward the intrusive duo. Danzo widened his eye as his men had been swiftly dismembered in one fluid sweep. Sai shielded his eyes from the massive eruption of blood. Splotches of the crimson fluid landed on his sketchbook obscuring his inked notes.

"Demon!" Danzo's voice echoed in the muggy chamber. The remainder of the crowd parted a pathway as Sasuke and Sakura edged their way toward the ROOT leader.

Sasuke scowled as he stood before the elderly leader. "Tell me, did you and the Konoha counsel order Itachi to massacre the Uchiha clan?"

Danzo glanced to the Diclonius and back to the Uchiha. "So that boy finally squealed…"

Sakura smirked as his rapidly drew his mended katana.

"He chose to reveal the truth and violate our agreement. That traitor disobeyed us the moment he chose to spare your life!"

"How dare you use my brother as your tool!" Sasuke charged head on at the elderly man. He grit his teeth as his sword penetrated through his chest. The blade emitted a faint blue illumination as veins of lightning leapt from the surface of the steel.

Sakura suddenly grasped her pink locks within her fingers as the man's wounded body faded from her eyes. Sai glanced at the feral eyed Diclonius trembling in trepidation. She clasped her hands over her face and collapsed to her knees. Danzo's intact body materialized behind the downed Diclonius. He raised the hilt of his blade and angled it meticulously before his target. The elderly man stifled a gasp as something seized his wrist preventing him from plunging the blade into the vulnerable girl's back.

"_Just kidding_." Sakura suddenly began giggling as she rose back to her feet. Danzo released a deafening yowl of agony. The blade dissipated in a puff of smoke as his wrist snapped in an unnatural motion.

Sakura cupped the back of her ear glancing back at the indignant elder. "_What is this I hear? Kidnapping? An exchange made between Danzo and Orochimaru for bodily modifications? What is that? There's something disturbing and grotesque beneath those bandages? Show us all what you've been hiding_."

Danzo painfully removed the intricate casing enveloping his right arm. Sasuke's face contorted into an unsightly, homicidal scowl. The man's arm had been adorned in sharingan harvested from his massacred kin.

"Absolutely disgusting…" Sasuke spat. He summoned an array of albino snakes from beneath his sleeves.

"Itachi was a fool to betray Konoha for your pathetic life. But apparently to him, your life was far more valuable than the village. It's a shame he's exiled himself and took on the life of notoriety just so you could sully his sacrifices." Danzo hissed as he formed a series of hand seals.

Sai gazed at the Diclonius as she seemed absorbed in Sasuke and Danzo's confrontation.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing!" An auburn haired man snarled to another member wearing a goggled mask.

The masked man glanced at the distracted Diclonius. "I can drain her chakra with my insects."

Sai widened his eyes as a smirk graced the Diclonius' lips. The goggled man clasped his hands as a black smog of insects discharged from the collar of his outfit. The venomous insects swarmed toward the pinkette as she observed the Uchiha dodging Danzo's wind techniques. The insects enveloped the perimeter of her body but did not make contact with her skin. She gave a conceited smile as the insects immediately began dropping lifelessly to the ground. She glanced at the mass of insects littering the floor before her feet then to the Aburame.

"Impossible!" The goggled man adjusted his mask.

"_I've always hated the Aburame clan's jutsus. I suppose I'm lucky insects are completely vulnerable to high frequency microvibrations_." She wrapped her wraithlike vectors around the oblivious man's body. "_You must not be familiar with the powers of a Diclonius. A shinobi like you cannot detect the invisible microvibrations that envelope your body at this very moment_."

Sai and the auburn haired man reeled backward as the Aburame's body exploded in a mess of flesh and blood. Sakura wiped the blood from her cheek and stared down at the mutilated fragments of tissue and bone. She whipped her head toward her former teammate and beamed. Sai restrained the urge to run for the exit as she began to laugh softly. How could that chirpy yet clever kunoichi become something like this? Was he at fault for her sudden homicidal metamorphosis? Had the snake sannin subjected her to brutal torture and anguish? He clenched his fist and lowered his sketchbook.

"Sakura…" The pasty skinned shinobi spoke solemnly.

She narrowed her eyes as he took a step forward. Was this boy that dense to approach her so recklessly?

"I apologize…for everything." His ink black eyes locked with her glossy jade orbs.

She returned his apology with a stolid glare. The pinkette suddenly erupted into laughter causing him to slightly withdraw. "_Apologize? I have no clue as to what you're speaking of_!"

"I told Danzo about your horns!"

"_So you're the traitor? How amusing. Do you really wish to die like your comrades_?"

Sakura scowled as the elderly man reappeared behind Sasuke as if nothing had happened. The Uchiha panted heavily barely able to grasp the hilt of his sword in his clammy hands. She ambled toward the ROOT leader and glanced at the five closed sharingan embedded in his arm.

"_I'm getting sick of this. Your forged attempt at gaining control of the Izanagi is ludicrous. Do you honestly believe you can attain the powers of the sage this way_?"

Danzo hollered loudly as his right arm suddenly tore from the shoulder. He grasped his shoulder and glared at the Diclonius collecting the dismembered arm in her cloak.

"I hope you suffer in hell." A blue projectile lightning penetrated the heart of the ROOT leader. Sasuke spat as the lightning dissipated from his hand.

Sakura seized the collar of Sasuke shirt noticing a spherical chakra shroud Danzo's body. "_He's activating the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing technique. We need to leave before he self destructs_."

Sai gasped as the tomoe pattern illuminated in Sakura's jade eyes. She and the Uchiha quickly vanished in a vortex of warped colors. Sai and the rest of the surviving ROOT members raced toward the exit as Danzo's black spherical sealing technique seemed to rapidly increase in diameter. Perhaps that man was destined to lie beneath the roots cast in the shadows of the prolific leaves.

Sasuke and Sakura returned to the patiently awaiting Team Hebi standing outside Danzo's compound. Karin instinctively rolled up her sleeves as Sasuke panted exhaustedly for air. She glanced at the ominous Diclonius and released her hand from the sleeve.

"_I_ _believe we should drop by and give the Hokage our greetings…_"

* * *

* "Good evening" in Japanese.


	19. Hostage

"The barrier team has been slaughtered? I want personal around the perimeter of the village! Get moving now!" The blonde Godaime shouted at a team of ANBU adorned in animalistic masks.

"Tsunade-sama!" Her short haired assistant clutched a pet pig to her chest.

Tsunade ignored the assistant as she glanced at two jounin standing near the doorway.

"We've received word of three unfamiliar shinobi outside the tower. They've been captured and detained." Kakashi reported to the buxom woman.

"Summon Morino Ibiki and the interrogation force immediately." Tsunade commanded a violet haired ANBU. The woman nodded affirmatively and vanished from sight.

A flurry of white papers scattered across the carpet of the office as the infuriated Hokage swatted the stacks atop her desk. She sighed forcefully into the palms of her hands puffing up her cheeks in frustration. "Whoever dare attack our village shall pay with their life!"

"_Such a nasty temper…_"

The occupants of the office simultaneously snapped their heads toward the source of the voice. A pale hand forced the slightly ajar window completely open. The Hokage and her assistant leapt backward as something wrenched the window from its hinges and hurled the glass in their direction. The dismantled window panel shattered into thousands of glass fragments before the Hokage's feet.

Shizune gasped loudly as both the defected Uchiha and former Hokage's apprentice leapt into the scene.

"Sakura…?" Tsunade's lips traced around the sound of the girl's name. "What is the meaning of this?"

Sakura's eyes panned the room. She hoisted herself onto the ledge of Tsunade's desk and smirked. "_I was just bored you know…causing mayhem for entertainment_."

Shizune glanced at the Hokage apprehensively as the stout pig buried its head in her chest for refuge.

Sasuke's ravenous eyes flashed to the two elders standing beside the Hokage. "The Konoha Council—Mitokado Himura and Utatane Koharu. I believe you know why I'm here."

"What business do you have with them?" Kakashi narrowed his eye as he scrutinized the transformation of his former student.

"These scumbags hiding behind the Hokage used my brother to eliminate the Uchiha clan!" The raven haired boy snarled loudly. "I won't hesitate to kill you if you stand in my way!"

Koharu exchanged glances with Himura and sighed. Himura adjusted his glasses and released a drawn out sigh. "So Itachi revealed the truth. Konoha was always a special place to him. Do you really plan to shatter everything he's sacrificed himself for?"

"Shut up! You don't understand what he or I have gone through!" Sasuke's feral eyes locked on the elders. He quickly drew his katana in a single fluid motion.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi seized the boy's wrist. "Revenge will never grant you any form of satisfaction."

"Bark on Konoha dog!"

The silver haired jounin's heel suddenly walloped the boy's solar plexus. Sasuke's shoulders suddenly dropped toward the point of contact as he uttered a pained wheeze. The Uchiha's body launched toward the wall creating a large indent upon collision. Sasuke's chest heaved rapidly as he struggled to retain air.

"_Shimatta_…*" Sakura put a hand to her cheek giving a slight giggle.

Tsunade glanced at her former apprentice and folded her arms beneath her enormous bust. "Sakura, why have you chosen to betray Konoha?"

"_Well you see I've been picking up on something about a deep down, inherent detestation of the human species…This bloodlust for the genocide and utter destruction of all that encompasses the human race…This innate desire to tear the heads off all those responsible for the extinction of the Diclonii…How does it feel Hokage? How does it feel to be the figurehead of an entire village of vicious savages?_" An ominous grin appeared beneath the shadow cast by her pink tresses.

The Godaime took a step backward as the girl's callous voice gradually descended.

She suddenly lifted her head and beamed cheerily. "_Just kidding! I'm simply here for the Kyuubi._"

"Why do you desire the Kyuubi?" Tsunade's teeth bit into her bottom lip.

"_To become complete_."

Sakura suddenly uttered a shrill cry as she seized her cranium. She slammed her own skull against the wall downing the pictures and ornaments adorned alongside the wall. The shinobi observed her peculiar behavior as she repeatedly bashed her skull into the wall tearing the flesh along her brow and temple.

"What is with you?" Sasuke wheezed as he rose to his feet.

She closed her eyes and leaned her large forehead against the wall. She slowly turned around revealing the streams of blood running down her brow into the creases of her eyelids. Her eyelids flipped open exhibiting the blood red gleam of her irises.

"Tsunade-sama! Her eyes!" Shizune gasped as she involuntarily suffocated the pig in her panicked embrace.

"I know." Tsunade stated briefly. She glanced at the identical pair of eyes in the Uchiha's stare. "She's being possessed by Sasuke."

"_Bring me the Kyuubi._"

"Sasuke, release her at once!" Kakashi's voice became unnervingly stern.

"Hn." Sasuke merely grunted in response.

"_Did you hear me? Bring me the Kyuubi_!"

"We would never sell out a fellow villager." Tsunade answered the demanding Diclonius.

"_Even_ _if the village were to be at stake_?"

The Godaime swiftly clutched the collar of Sakura's cloak and hoisted her petite body above the ground. "We are never intimidated by threats! Our village is far too strong and united to cave into an enemy's demands!"

Sakura wrenched herself out of the woman's herculean grip and ambled toward the window exposing the outside air. "_So be it. I've always wanted to test the capabilities of this power._"

Sakura inhaled the cool, brisk air as she sat on the ledge of the window and peered at the panorama of the magnificent village cast in the darkness of the night.

"What are you doing?" Tsunade demanded as she curled her fingers against her side.

The girl ignored her continuing to inhale the night breeze. A countless stream of much more massive vectors emerged from her body hovering upward toward the dusky clouds. The array of vectors intertwined around each other causing the hazy clouds to swirl in a nebulous pattern.

A dark haired jounin halted in his stroll down the central street and glanced up at the ominously swirling clouds in the night sky. He narrowed his pearly grey eyes as he sensed a strange interference in the wind current.

"Ah, Neji!" A girl with twin buns collided with his back. She sighed forcefully as he remained silent. "Is it a bird?"

She cocked her head upward to identify what had suddenly caught his interest. "Is it a storm?"

"It doesn't seem so." Neji answered still fixated on the spiral motion of the clouds.

The vectors suddenly scattered in various directions casting down upon oblivious village below. The wrathful ethereal hands rained down on the village like a meteor shower destroying everything within their paths. The pinkette laughed as various buildings erupted into blistering infernos and collapsed as if slashed by a massive sword. Charcoal smoke derived from flames sprang upward toward the sinister night sky.

"Neji!" Tenten cried out grasping the arm of the Hyuuga jounin. "What's happening?"

The blonde jinchuuriki yelped as he fell from the barstool.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata gasped still maintaining her balance as the earth rumbled beneath them. "Are you alright?"

Naruto rubbed his rump and rose to his feet. "What the hell? Was that an earthquake?"

He widened his eyes at the horrible sight befallen him. The broth and noodles of his dinner spilled out from beneath the overturned bowl on the ground. "My ramen!"

"Naruto-kun, look!" Hinata pointed toward a swarm of fleeing civilians scattering in arbitrary directions.

"There's been an explosion!"

"The village is under attack!"

Naruto glanced at the female Hyuuga tensely. "The village is under attack?"

"Naruto…Hinata…" A familiar comrade caught up to the formerly dining duo.

"Shikamaru? What's going on?" Naruto demanded.

The idle boy panted vigorously. "It seems there has been an aerial assault."

"W-who's the perpetrator?" Hinata clasped her hands together.

"We don't know…so troublesome…"

"Monster!" The elderly councilwoman snarled. "We should've eliminated you long ago! The Yondaime was a fool for not regarding our warnings and now the village is suffering due to his poor judgment! It was evident something was off considering your hair color and Haruno heritage!"

The pinkette pivoted on the window sill and beamed at Koharu. "_If it weren't for the Yondaime's poor judgment I would've never had the opportunity to play with two valuable monsters_."

The Godaime's fist quivered as she concentrated chakra into the tips of her knuckles. "What you have done to the village is unforgivable!"

The Diclonius effortlessly clutched Tsunade's fist within the fingers of her vector. The Godaime howled as something seemed to crush the tiny bones within her hand. She reeled her hand backward and called out to the second jounin standing by the door.

"Yamato." She summoned the dark eyed wood user.

He nodded affirmatively as she whispered in his right ear. Yamato bowed his head respectfully. "Yes. I will go summon Naruto."

Sakura smirked as the jounin quickly departed the room and raced down the long staircase. She fixated her eyes on the silver haired shinobi.

"_Hatake Kakashi_."

Kakashi snapped his head toward the Diclonius sitting on the ledge of the window sill.

"_Open that eye of yours. Open that eye to the fullest extent and tell me what you see_."

Kakashi lifted the headband covering the sharingan of his left eye. The tomoe of the crimson eye began to assume an intricate pinwheel shape.

"Hands…?" The jounin muttered.

A wraithlike hand penetrated the chest of every occupant in the room. He glanced downward at the ghostly hand phasing into the very location of his heart.

"_That's right. If anyone dare attack me I shall rip out the hearts of everyone in this room_. _You'd better hope that man brings the Kyuubi quickly_."

Sasuke…what have you done with Sakura? What has become of you? The jounin pondered to himself as he glanced at the scowling Uchiha undisrupted by the vectors clutching the lives of everyone within its grasp.

"Yamato!"

Iruka halted before the panting jounin. He slung the arm of an injured jounin over his shoulder.

"We need to gather back up immediately."

Naruto, Shikamaru, and Hinata watched from the distance as Yamato intercepted their academy teacher.

"What's going on?" Iruka inquired.

"Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura have infiltrated the Hokage tower."

Naruto's chest seared with an agonizing twinge at the mention of his former teammates' names. Were Sasuke and Sakura responsible for the chaos and destruction consuming the village? He had to know. He had to confront the duo himself.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru shouted as the blonde broke into a bolt. He sighed in defeat and chased after the darting jinchuuriki. "Don't tell me you're planning to stop them yourself."

"It's my business!" Naruto growled avoiding the streaks of shadows checkering the street.

"Damn it…He's trying to evade my jutsu…" Shikamaru muttered to himself as he trailed the rash blonde.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata's voice cried out.

Naruto's body automatically halted as a thick substance wrapped around his waist. He glanced backward spotting a wooden restraint sprouting from the palm of the creepy-eyed jounin.

"The Godaime specifically instructed me to keep you safe." Yamato stated bluntly.

"Let me go! I have to confront my teammates!"

"I will not allow it. You will only see something you don't want to see."

Naruto gave a childlike pout and folded his arms beneath his chest. Yamato sighed in relief as the jinchuuriki's resistance seemed to subside. The boy suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.

"A shadow clone? That idiot!" Shikamaru grasped his temples in frustration.

Sakura kicked her feet against the side of the wall beneath the window sill. "_I'm bored. Waiting is so tiresome._"

A cold bead of sweat trickled down Kakashi's brow as the pinkette's voice descended menacingly.

"_I should've specified a time limit_." The Diclonius rested a finger on her plump lip. "_Five minutes. If that man doesn't return with the Kyuubi in five minutes your lives are forfeit_."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he felt the ethereal hand vibrate slowly within his chest. Shizune doubled over dropping the pig to the floor. She groaned loudly clutching the left side of her chest. Sasuke's eyes panned the room as the occupants simultaneously cringed in discomfort.

"I don't have time to wait. I want these corrupt pests to suffer." Sasuke glared at the Diclonius.

A handful of heads snapped concurrently as a brash blonde kicked down the door.

"Naruto." Sasuke snarled curling his upper lip.

"Sasuke!" Naruto howled.

"_So we meet again, Kyuubi_." The Diclonius tilted her head and grinned.

A sudden rush of oozing red chakra enveloped the jinchuuriki as his eyes gleamed a wicked crimson color. He struggled to utter intelligible words beneath the sudden surge of the Kyuubi's emerging chakra. "S-ss…sakura-chan…?"

"Naruto!" Tsunade shouted as the boy curled his claws before his gaze.

The jinchuuriki suddenly pounced on the Diclonius penetrating his claws into her chest like a lion downing its prey. The jinchuuriki's vicious momentum knocked the girl backward from her comfortable settling on the window ledge. Both jinchuuriki and Diclonius plummeted from the elevated window of the Hokage Tower descending into a seemingly interminable freefall.

* * *

* "Uh oh" or "Oops" in Japanese.


	20. Humanity

The Diclonius inhaled the rush of incoming air as the enraged jinchuuriki tore open her previous chest wound inflicted by the younger Uchiha. She summoned a pair of vectors to grasp onto the jinchuuriki and reverse their positions. The Hokage peered down at a massive cloud of debris and dust springing from beneath the Hokage Tower window. Sasuke suddenly shoved the busty woman aside and scampered onto the window ledge.

"Damn…" He growled to himself before springing off the ledge of the window.

"Stop them!" The Godaime hollered as the occupants suddenly flooded the doorway toward the staircase.

The crimson eyed Diclonius locked eyes with the demonic, feral eyes of the jinchuuriki. A single orange, bubbling tail waved hastily behind the jinchuuriki as he revealed his enlarged canines from beneath his thin lips. The pinkette gave a slight giggle observing the boy ease down onto all fours.

"_Are you going to tear me apart_?" She feigned an apprehensive tone.

The chakra cloaked jinchuuriki released an earsplitting bellow rattling the walls of the surrounding buildings. He suddenly darted sideways as the Diclonius' lethal vectors reached for him. The quadruped Naruto broke into full gallop escaping the wrath of the wraithlike hands desperately grasping for his body. Sakura shuffled into a listless trot although her vectors seemed to sufficiently trail the breakneck jinchuuriki. The vectors carelessly bulldozed into the sides of buildings creating a disarray of dust and rubble in every former position of the fleeing Naruto. He nearly slid out from beneath his hind legs as he virtually sideswiped a newsstand.

"_Why do you keep running?_" The Diclonius grinned reducing the newsstand into a mess of disjointed wood and scattered paper. The jinchuuriki pivoted on his hind legs to confront the opponent head on. "_Don't tell me even the Kyuubi is afraid of a little girl_."

"What has become of you, Sakura?" Naruto growled as an ominous flare of red chakra suddenly erupted from his body.

"_I just_ _thought it would be fun to torture the village. Wouldn't you agree as well, Kyuubi?_"

Two more tails suddenly morphed above the jinchuuriki's rear. His claws penetrated through the concrete as he buried his face in his arm to curb the massive influx of Kyuubi chakra. Sakura widened her eyes intriguingly and smirked. Despite the raging flare of the Kyuubi's chakra, she simply rested her hand on her cheek completely unfazed by the events transpiring before her. She leapt backward as the Kyuubi's chakra functioned as an extension of its host's arms. She grasped onto the chakra hand-like appendages and siphoned a dark chakra into her vectors. Naruto stepped backward as she took a step forward. Her chakra laden vectors seemed to overwhelm the red chakra of the fox demon.

_Naruto, do I look more like a woman? _Her demure voice echoed in his mind.

No, this wasn't Sakura…This couldn't be Sakura. It was almost as if she emitted a masculine aura from that dark chakra. Naruto grit his teeth as he forced his lead-weight feet to take a step forward toward the opposing force of chakra.

"Sakura!" Naruto's voice roared as the red chakra suddenly overwhelmed the Diclonius.

Sakura's petite body was completely enveloped by the red chakra. The Diclonius forced her eyes shut and clutched her chest defensively.

Naruto rubbed his eyes as his vision had been unexpectedly obscured by darkness. He heard a faint crying noise echo within the walls of wherever he was. The distinct sound of the Kyuubi's growl rumbled from behind him.

"Where am I?" He glanced around the indistinguishable yet vast environment.

The crying noise seemed to intensify as he stepped closer toward the source. He widened his blue eyes in bewilderment. A nude, horned pinkette sat cross-legged on the concrete holding an identical girl in her lap. She hung her head in a deprived manner clutching the unconscious twin girl against her chest. She sobbed and whimpered loudly while seemingly attempting to awaken the unconscious girl.

"…Sakura?" Naruto's voice resonated against the desolate walls.

"Show yourself!" The Kyuubi suddenly snarled. "I knew something was amiss the very moment you uttered my name."

A raven haired man emerged from beneath the shadows. He grasped the back of the girl's skull and smirked at the Kyuubi. "How do you like my new pet?"

"You should know that her kind would have never addressed me as 'Kyuubi.' They often gave me absurd names such as 'Kitsune-san' and 'K-chan.' Quit attempting to masquerade as a Diclonius."

"Eh, is that so?" Madara tightened his grasp around the back of the girl's skull.

"Sakura! Who are you and what have you done with Sakura?" Naruto demanded.

"Uchiha Madara…" The Kyuubi narrowed its demonic eyes. "It's ironic to have also been enslaved by the very same human."

Madara gave an unrestrained laugh. "I thought it would be easy to control the girl if I told her id persona that the village was responsible for the extinction of her kind. However, she constantly resists my control and tries to wake up her other self simultaneously."

"The Diclonii are a respectable species. They would never succumb to human demands." The Kyuubi hissed.

"Well you see she's been receiving punishment for her disobedience. I've been inserting chakra into her nervous system to stimulate pain in order for her submission. Actual pain would restrict her powers but she can't distinguish the difference. She's nothing but an ineffectual puppet."

"Leave Sakura-chan alone!" Naruto's voice echoed repetitively off the walls.

Madara ignored Naruto's cries and fixated his eyes on the monstrous demon fox. "Hn. Why do you find the Diclonii 'respectable?' I'm curious to know. Elaborate."

"Despite their fickle and excessively expressive tendencies, the Diclonii were tolerable creatures. Instead of being intimidated by my massive size or power, they were particularly fascinated by my presence. Contrary to humans, the Diclonii did not bear any nuance of fear or antagonism toward me. They were ubiquitously captivated by animals and any constituent of the natural world. As I would ravage regions dominated by human malice, the Diclonii would become unpredictable and wrathful when confronted with human malice as well. They were incredibly perceptive to negative emotions and sudden changes within the environment. They were often irritable on the nights of a full moon and would mechanically rant about a Cyclops in the rocks."

"Oh." Madara raised an eyebrow inquisitively as he yanked the Diclonius' head backward. "So the Diclonii could sense the presence of the Juubi? Interesting. I was not aware of this."

"The Diclonii are inherently empathetic creatures. However, it is rare for a human to truly comprehend their compassionate nature."

Madara chuckled to himself as he glanced down at the sniveling girl embracing her alternative self. "Compassionate? Don't make me laugh! The Diclonii are nothing more than over-sentimental, unstable mutant women!"

Naruto rapidly formed a series of hand signs and conjured two additional shadow clones. He concentrated a whirling ball of blue chakra in the palm of his hand while his doppelgangers aided in the formation of his jutsu.

"The Diclonii were well aware that they were reliant on humans for their reproduction. That curly haired Diclonius leader once warned me of my fate..." The Kyuubi continued as Naruto prepared his attack.

_We Diclonii have been forever enslaved by humanity. Our survival depends upon mating with the humans. Although your creation was instigated by a human, you are wild and liberated from human influence. I would hate to see you one day lose your freedom and submit to human enslavement. Please don't become another one of their tools. _The curly haired Diclonius' voice resonated in the fox's mind.

"Rasengan!" Naruto roared as he charged at the Uchiha.

His body simply phased through the stationary Uchiha. He fell forward landing in a cat-like position upon the chilling concrete. "What the hell?"

"Diclonius, listen to me." The Kyuubi swished its numerous tails. The glossy jade eyed girl lifted her gaze. "The pain you have been sustaining is not real pain. What would your ancestors think if they saw you submitting to the wills of a human like this? You're not just another one of their tools."

Madara narrowed his eyes and inserted chakra into the girl's skull. Instead of yelping in agony she merely stared vacantly ahead of herself. The Uchiha's body suddenly split longitudinally down the middle.

"So you've managed to coerce the girl. I have to commend you Kyuubi for shattering my hold but, keep in mind…I will have the both of you at my mercy." He gave a slight gasp as his body dissipated in dark particles of chakra.

The Kyuubi curled its black lined lips in satisfaction.

Naruto rushed to the girl's side and grasped her shoulders as she hung her head miserably low. He glanced down at the unconscious twin and back to the cognizant Sakura. "Sakura! Sakura, are you alright?"

"Stand by me as a fellow non-human and confront those malicious creatures. Erase all those who have hurt you, tortured you, belittled you…erase them all!"

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled at the fox demon. "Get back in your cage!"

"_It's too much_…" Sakura whispered beneath her sobs.

"It's alright, Sakura. That man is gone now."

"_It's too much_…" She repeated herself. She slowly stood up abandoning her other self on the ground.

"Sakura…?"

"_Goddamn humans…You have caused too much!_" She suddenly screamed. "_Stay out of my head!_"

Naruto's eyes peeled open as an eerie force threw his body backward like a ragdoll. His vision finally cleared revealing the familiar streets and surroundings of his home village. The fiery red chakra of the demon fox cloak seemed to flare in response to the disturbing sensation lingering in the air. The raven haired boy rushed before Naruto and paused turning his head in the opposite direction. The erratic activity of the girl's vectors tore up the concrete beneath her and hurled it in his direction. The jinchuuriki and Uchiha simultaneously evaded the fragment of concrete and snapped their heads toward a storm of incoming shinobi.

"Don't go any closer!" Kakashi shielded the Godaime from taking another step with his arm.

The Diclonius' vectors shot into the air once again disturbing the natural current of the air above.

"_I'll crush every damned last one of you humans!_" Twin trails of blood oozed from her nostrils onto the grove of her upper lip. She grasped her chest as the wound began to flood her cloak with blood. "_If I die, I will drag you all down with me_…"

"She's going to attack the village again!" Kakashi warned Tsunade observing numerous amounts of the ghostly hands streaming from her back.

"_Shinde!_"

"Sakura!" A voice called out.

The Diclonius shielded her eyes as a flurry of black feathers obscured her vision. Her necklace emanated a dark chakra which seemed to assume a masculine profile.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke shouted as the elder Uchiha materialized before the Diclonius.

Itachi ignored his brother's cry instead focusing on the wrathful Diclonius. "Sakura, wake up."

The Diclonius' eyes panned the scene before her. Human bodies stood aligned in an unorganized formation. They seemed to be constructed of plastic and possessed no discernable faces. They were simply mere manikins with no identities or inimitable features. These manikins were insignificant and easily disposable. They didn't possess anything of significance beyond their simple plastic structures. Sakura screamed in horror as the manikin standing before her mechanically reeled open a pair of crimson eyes. It had no facial features excluding the grotesque pair of eyes. Another manikin in the background also possessed the same faceless structure with a sole pair of red eyes.

Sakura took a step backward as the eerie plastic figure sauntered toward her. "_No! No! Stay away from me! Don't come any closer!" _

Itachi's eyes widened as the Diclonius summoned an additional pair of vectors in his direction. His reflexes were far too slow. The vectors had already penetrated through his chest prepared to solidify and rip apart his torso. He blinked forcefully believing his diminishing sight had finally failed him. The vectors seemed to retract as the Diclonius took a step backward as if trying to restrain something. Sakura gasped as an opposing set of ethereal hands interlaced fingers with her own vectors.


	21. Cozener

Why were her vectors suddenly retracting? Her crazed expression had not vacated her face. The Uchiha pondered to himself. The Diclonius suddenly tottered backward landing on her rump.

Sakura widened her eyes as a tiny little girl sauntered toward her. The girl had long cerise locks trailing down her shoulders and evenly cut bangs lining her large brow. Her teal eyes narrowed as she grasped Sakura by the ear.

"_Who are you?_" Sakura hissed defiantly before a non-corporeal hand suddenly penetrated her forehead.

The little horned girl yanked on the lobe of her ear until she obediently sat on the ground. "What are you trying to do? Throw all my sacrifices out the window? Now stay quiet!"

The girl vigorously shook the unconscious Sakura until her eyes slowly lifted. Sakura rubbed her eyes and slowly hoisted herself into an upward seated position.

"What's going on…?" She glanced at the mysterious child standing before her. "Are you my childhood self?"

The girl gave an amused laugh and patted Sakura on the top of the head. "You're such an intriguing child!"

"Child?" Sakura scowled as the girl continued laughing. "Who are you calling a child? You can't possibly be any older than six or seven!"

"I've lived to see the founding of Konohagakure and the subsequent shinobi wars in my time."

Sakura quickly interjected. "So does that mean…"

"Yes, Sakura-chan." The girl nodded. "I am Haruno Sara. Your great-grandmother."

The girl wrapped her arms around Sakura's shoulders. Sakura returned the tiny girl's embrace and pressed her cheek against hers.

"I came to stop you…to stop you from discarding your humanity. I'm well aware that it is within our nature to destroy the humans that hurt us. But if you enact these impulses you'll be sullying the sacrifices I have made just to provide you with your very existence."

"Sacrifices?" Sakura released the girl as her piercing teal eyes dulled solemnly.

"Yes. You are currently witnessing my former appearance before I discarded my identity. That man with the demon eyes and jet black hair…" Her fingers suddenly curled rigidly as her voice quivered. "That very same man who was controlling you…was responsible for the death of my sisters. He and his brother were known as the Hawks. They were in charge of massacring the Haruno clan."

Sakura widened her eyes apprehensively.

"It was true the humans loathed our existence but we tried our best to avoid exacerbating their resentment toward us. Those two men hunted us down like prey. They killed my older sister right before my eyes and used me as their toy. They forced me to kill my own sisters! I had no idea what I had done before I freed myself from their control. I yearned so badly to assert my revenge on the humans for the injustices they inflicted upon my sisters. I yearned so badly to just end my life and release myself from this unbearable hell. I just wanted to scream and cry and unleash my hands upon this cruel world. But…I realized something…Trying to fight the humans would fruitlessly result in my death and the complete annihilation of the Haruno clan. Instead of dying alongside my sisters as a martyr I chose the path of insurrection. I would defy those Hawks and humans by choosing to live as a cheater...I ripped off my own horns."

Sakura grasped her own horns envisioning the insufferable pain of even a mere scratch on the surface of a horn.

"The loss of a horn is a pain worse than death. A Diclonius' horns never grow back. Without my horns, I lost my powers and was undistinguishable as a Diclonius. I assumed an identity as a non-mutated Haruno and altered my appearance using henna to dye my hair color. Although I had the appearance of a human, people still found my mannerisms outlandish. I struggled to assimilate into human society and later gave birth to a Diclonius daughter. I gave birth in secrecy to prevent the humans from discovering my or my baby's identity. I wanted my newborn infant to live in a world without the persecution I endured so I carefully chiseled away her horns. It troubled me so much to cause an infant such intolerable pain but that pain was nothing compared to the fate my sisters faced. My daughter chiseled off the horns of her child and her daughter chiseled off your horns the moment you were born."

"My mother was born a Diclonius? But…" Sakura protested.

"Your mother and grandmother had successfully concealed their true identities by carefully removing all traces of their original heritage and masquerading as human civilians. Although they had assimilated into society as humans, they were still quite vigilant. Your mother had attempted to give birth in the secrecy of her own home. She managed to meticulously remove your horns but rumor had quickly reached the Konoha Council of your hair color. Shortly before your grandmother's passing, she refuted the Council's concerns and stated that your hair color was simply a diluted shade of purple which was common in your father's heritage. The Yondaime had also become involved in the matter and deduced you were a non-mutated human."

"But if Diclonii don't grow their horns back why did mine grow back?"

The little girl cupped her chin in her hand and tilted her head sideways. "Hm…You are different from the rest of us. None of us ever possessed chakra. Sango nee-sama would've been so envious of you! She had always wanted to become a kunoichi."

"Well what does that have to do with my horns?" Sakura raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"You ninja people have healing powers, right?"

"Yes, some do. Tsunade-shishou had taught me how to use the Mystical Palm Technique and I…" Sakura pressed her hand against her chest. "I practiced using the jutsu on myself to perfect my technique...Then I began experiencing headaches."

"You must've unwittingly regenerated the growth of your horns." Sara reached for Sakura's hand and inspected her palm. "You've been blessed with such extraordinary abilities. But Sakura-chan…"

Sakura gazed into the little girl's doll-like face. "Please do not vilify the sacrifices and hardships we have endured. Trying to avenge the Haruno clan and fight the humans will only lead to the complete annihilation of the Diclonius gene. All my efforts will simply be a lost cause. The only way to survive is to have compassion for all of the creatures on this planet—human or not. Although it may appear hopeless, there are the rare exemplars of humans out there who truly appreciate the compassionate side of our nature. Find that one companion who is unconditionally empathetic…like that nice man holding you right now."

The man holding her?

The little girl emitted an infectious grin as her body began to fade into the background. Tears streamed down the apples of Sakura's cheeks as Sara's apparition slowly vanished before her eyes.

_If you stand in the way of my revenge I will never forgive you, Haruno Sakura!_

…

_Sasuke is the very antithesis of Itachi. Forgiveness and empathy are foreign concepts he could never comprehend. _

…

_Itachi sullied his own name and planned to die by Sasuke's hands in order to brand his precious brother a hero. He would've taken the truth with him to his grave. _

…

_You know nothing of Uchiha Sasuke. He is an avenger. His lust for vengeance is insatiable. _

…

_Trying to avenge the Haruno clan will lead to the complete annihilation of the Diclonius gene... Please do not vilify the sacrifices and hardships we have endured. _

…_have compassion…_

She slowly opened her eyelids to the external world beyond. Blood seeped from her nostrils and the corners of her mouth. The dampened cloak seemed to have gained additional weight from the surge of blood derived from her chest wound. She felt a nauseating pain wrack her stomach. Her chest felt heavy as if a lead weight constricted the inflow of air to her lungs. Although her body suffered intolerably, she couldn't help but feel slightly comfortable. She was lying on her back on the freezing concrete. Her head rested on something warm. Something was tenderly cradling her in a pair of soft arms. She closed her eyelids halfway inhaling pleasurably as a strand of raven hair gently brushed the surface of her cheek. Beneath that veil of dark hair she spotted those two distinguishable troughs lining his face. A glossy pair of dark eyes fixated on her own jade orbs. Something about them had appeared almost fragile.

_Why do you always have your sharingan activated?_ Her own words resonated within her mind.

He remembered…

Tears streamed Sakura's eyes as she forced a faint smile. A warm torrent of air grazed her skin as his face drew closer.

"Itachi…" She forced a soft wheeze.

He said nothing waiting to catch her tiny words.

"…Please forgive me…"

He pressed his forehead against hers draping her face beneath his long dark bangs. She felt a sudden weight lift from her chest as multiple droplets landed on her brow and beneath the crease of her lower eyelid. The corners of her mouth drew upward into a serene smile. She closed her eyes allowing herself to be drawn away in the soothing wave of euphoria. Itachi's arms quivered as her presence seemed to meander away from his hold.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke's voice called out.

The elder Uchiha failed to respond as he cradled the lifeless Diclonius.

"Nii-san?" Sasuke repeated himself. He smirked to himself and trotted up to the kneeling Itachi. "I've eliminated one of the Konoha bastards already…I…"

He paused as Itachi's face suddenly lifted. Tears traced the distinctive troughs lining his face. His dark eyes radiated an almost grotesque rage which delivered an uncanny pang within the depths of the younger Uchiha's chest.


	22. Condemnation

The unconscious Diclonius lay beneath multiple layers of thin white sheets. Itachi watched the Godaime adjust the dials of the medical ventilator attached to the lifeless pinkette. The short haired assistant recorded the EKG values displayed on a dull screen. Tsunade jotted down notes on a clipboard and fixed her gaze on the Uchiha.

"Besides the chest wound she has also been bleeding internally. It seems the overuse of her powers has created hazardous entropy within her body. If she uses her power beyond her limit, she will rupture her internal organs and potentially die." Tsunade finished with a drawn out sigh.

Itachi bit his lip and shifted his gaze to Sakura's serene body. Upon his arrival, she had summoned a greater number and magnitude of vectors than he had seen emerge from her before.

"The Council may have pardoned you for obeying their orders regarding the massacre. However, Sasuke is subject to execution for his assault on the village and the murder of Shimura Danzo. He will also be prosecuted for manipulating Sakura. As for Sakura…"

"Sasuke could not have manipulated Sakura." Itachi intermediately interjected. "Sasuke does not possess the powers necessary to even detect her abilities. Both Sasuke and Sakura were subject to manipulation."

"By who?"

"Uchiha Madara." Itachi's eyes narrowed sternly.

"Uchiha Madara…?" Tsunade repeated. "Ridiculous. Uchiha Madara is long dead."

"Uchiha Madara is alive and well through the attainment of immortality. Only he has the capabilities to possess a Diclonius. Only those who possess the mangekyou sharingan can see the vectors of a Diclonius. Sakura would never attack the village deliberately. She has always been resentful and dismayed by her own power. She was merely his tool for his own personal vendetta against Konoha as was my brother…"

Tsunade crossed her arms beneath her bust. "I would need substantial evidence to confirm such a thing. I love that girl as if she were my own daughter…but I cannot allow my personal bias to simply exonerate her for the casualties and the damage she has caused the village."

"We shinobi attain power to protect the land we call home. However, we also pose the greatest threat to our village as well. Any shinobi, regardless of their loyalty, can virtually destroy the village if manipulated against their will."

"In that case, I will have the Interrogation Unit probe her for information while she is still unconscious."

"That is unwise." Itachi suddenly scowled. "Sakura has already been subjected to excessive amounts of torture in Orochimaru's captivity and by Madara."

"Then I will call upon Yamanaka Inoichi. His techniques will examine her memories for information. She will not endure any form of torture."

"She may still be potentially volatile." Itachi bent slightly and lifted her bangs with his hand. He rested the palm of his hand on her large forehead. "Her power can be restrained by inserting chakra into the pineal gland."

Tsunade gave an affirmative nod as summoned a miniature version of her slug companion. "Please summon Yamanaka Inoichi to the hospital immediately."

The miniature gastropod quickly vanished in a puff of smoke. Tsunade's fingers quivered subtly as she observed the aberrant softness in the Uchiha's dark eyes. How did her apprentice manage to draw out the secreted affection from the impassive Uchiha? Why was Itachi inevitably absorbed in the welfare of the dangerous non-human being? What sort of knowledge did he possess regarding the Diclonius that was unbeknownst to the Konoha leaders? Her very presence completely debunked the previous impressions and beliefs she had possessed of the pariah Uchiha.

"You should visit your brother before the Interrogation Unit reaches him. He is located in the detention center." Tsunade set the clipboard beside Sakura's bed.

His hand seemed to linger on the Diclonius' brow before he lifted his eyes and turned toward the door. "Thank you."

Tsunade smiled internally as Itachi departed. Shizune fixed her gaze on the Hokage's amber eyes. Her eyes had suddenly become almost crystalline as watched the raven haired man depart.

"Tsunade-sama…?" Shizune whispered softly.

Itachi navigated the hospital accompanied by an unidentified ANBU. He swallowed forcefully as his mind fabricated images of his incarcerated younger brother. To what extreme had Madara corrupted his brother's delicate mind?

"Good afternoon, Hokage-sama." A blonde haired man nodded as he opened the door slightly ajar.

"Yamanaka Inoichi, I trust you to carry this out in an efficient manner." Tsunade ordered the blonde ponytailed man.

He scrutinized the unconscious Diclonius lying beneath the eggshell white bed sheets. "So this is the Diclonius? This will certainly be less difficult while she is still unconscious."

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. His hand rested on the top of Sakura's scalp in between her horned protrusions. Shizune and Tsuande observed him execute the telepathic jutsu. Inoichi's body seemed to float in a shrouded veil of darkness. He came to an abrupt halt as he encountered a large concrete blockade. He formed a series of hand signs and placed the palms of his hands against the cold concrete.

"_Another intruder…_" A pneumatic voice spoke.

He slowly turned his head toward the source of the voice. Two nude horned girls stood behind him. One of the girls seemed fearful while the other hid her eyes beneath her pink locks.

"There are two souls?" Inoichi said to himself with utter astonishment.

"Don't touch me! Don't touch my head!" One of the girls suddenly screamed as she grasped her cranium.

The doppelganger clutched the other girl to her chest and hissed at the Yamanaka. "_When will you humans learn to stop messing with our head!_"

Inoichi unexpectedly gagged as he felt an eerie force penetrate his stomach. His eyes suddenly flipped open quickly exorcizing him from the depths of the Diclonius' mind.

"Inoichi!" Shizune cried out.

The Yamanaka emitted a loud roar before spluttering blood from his mouth. The tall man teetered backward crashing to the floor with a thunderous thud. He flipped to his side and contorted his body uncomfortably as he continued coughing up blood. The rapid beeps of Sakura's heart monitor resonated through the walls of the room. The Diclonius' petite body seized violently beneath the thin white sheets.

"Shizune, administer Sakura benzodiazepine stat!" Tsunade hollered to her assistant as she squatted down beside Inoichi.

Shizune did not hesitate following the Godaime's orders. She pulled a syringe and needle from the drawers beside Sakura's bed and quickly withdrew a clear liquid inside the syringe. She fished for Sakura's t-port beneath the bedsheets and plunged the liquid into her catheter. The Diclonius' convulsive movements slowly subsided as the sedative effectively ran its course.

Inoichi sat up in an attempt to quell the pain within his gut. "Please forgive me, Hokage-sama…"

"Are you alright?" The corners of Tsunade's mouth contorted into a fretful frown.

He gave a weak nod. "The girl's mind is fortified by two separate souls. It is far too dangerous to continue probing her mind."

The Hokage forced a loud sigh. How could she verify Itachi's statement if Sakura's memories could not be probed for information? How else could she possibly obtain information from her apprentice?

A loud knock suddenly jolted the Hokage from her thoughts. Shizune helped the Yamanaka to his feet while Tsunade answered the door.

"Tsunade it's me." A familiar voice responded as she opened the door slightly ajar. Jiraiya pushed the door completely open. Three young shinobi trailed after him.

"Father!" Ino cried out as Inoichi wiped the blood from his lips. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Do not worry about me, Ino-chan." Her father beamed resting his hand on her shoulder.

"Have you made any progress?" Jiraiya asked.

Tsunade's eyes panned across the room. She scowled as spotted Naruto, Ino, and Shikamaru lingering toward Sakura's bedside.

"I would've preferred if you didn't involve them." Tsunade glared at the other sannin.

Jiraiya scratched the back of his head radiating a nervous grin. "Well, they seemed so eager to visit their former comrade."

"I apologize. The two souls housed within the girl's mind seem too traumatized to investigate any further." Inoichi lowered his head regretfully.

"Two souls?" Ino repeated. "When I fought Sakura during the Chuunin Exams, another soul forced me out of her mind!"

Jiraiya raised a single brow. "The Diclonius has multiple personalities? I believe your clan has the capability to disable genjutsu blockades and access even the most complicated of minds. How has she been capable of forcing you out?"

"One part of her seemed to be particularly hostile toward my presence. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and was immediately expelled." Inoichi cupped his chin with his hand.

"The same thing happened to me!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. "There were two Sakuras!"

Everyone rapidly snapped their heads toward the loud blonde.

"Don't tell me you managed to gain entrance in her mind." Shikamaru distorted his face in disbelief.

"I'm serious! There was a black haired man there too! He was grabbing her head and torturing poor Sakura-chan! The fox said his name was Uchiha Madara."

Tsuande widened her eyes at the mention of the matching name. Jiraiya fixed his eyes on his pupil and sighed. "Uchiha Madara is dead, Naruto."

"I tried to attack him but my Rasengan went right through him. I think he was a ghost!"

Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged identical glances.

"What else did you see?" Tsunade inquired of the blonde genin.

"Well he said he was making Sakura think she was feeling pain so he could control her. The Kyuubi seemed to really hate that guy and also said it was enslaved by him."

Jiraiya and Tsunade nodded in unison. Jiraiya glanced at Naruto and then to the Diclonius. "Hmm…seems compelling. Uchiha Madara manipulated the Kyuubi during the battle at the Valley of the End."

Shikamaru pressed his head against his hand idly. "If Uchiha Madara was possessing Sakura then he must've been possessing Sasuke as well."

* * *

Itachi was silently accompanied by the guard toward the final cell at the end of the chilly hallway. Itachi halted before the steel cell containing his confined younger brother. Sasuke sat silently on a cold dilapidated wooden bench in the corner of the cell. He rested his chin on his interlaced fingers and pressed his elbows against his thighs as if he were trying to suppress his thoughts. Itachi placed his fingers around the circumference of a single cold bar of the cell. The freezing metal sent chills through the pads of his fingers.

"Sasuke…" Itachi's voice echoed in the bitter chambers.

Sasuke lifted his head slowly as his interlaced fingers seemed to quiver.

"Why, Itachi? Why did you look at me with such hatred…?"


	23. Lullaby

"What did Madara tell you?" Itachi inquired bluntly.

"He told me everything you refused to tell me. How did the council manage to manipulate an intelligent and powerful man like yourself into performing their dirty work?" Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed solemnly.

"I was never manipulated by the council."

The dumbfounded Uchiha rose from the frigid bench.

"I slaughtered the clan on my own accord. I informed the council of the activities and plans of the clan."

"So you _did_ deliberately betray the clan!" The younger Uchiha's voice thundered through the walls of the chilly cell. "You're still lying to me!"

Itachi shook his head in a downcast manner.

"Why Itachi? Why was the village more important than our family? Why were you willing to kill mother and father and everyone else for the sake of those ignorant villagers?"

Itachi rubbed his hands together beneath the warmth of his cloak. "Everyone in the village including the clan would have perished if I had not done what I did."

"And on what grounds did you have to believe such a thing?"

The elder Uchiha remained silent as that haunting yet enchanting melody of the Diclonius resonated in his ears. Several years had passed and he could not comprehend the lyrics of that extraordinary song although he could still faultlessly recall every note within his mind. He reminisced back to the disturbing imagery her song had provoked—the complete despondency and annihilation of all he had treasured within the depths of his core.

_Both the Uchiha and Haruno are damned clans destined for destruction…_

"Answer me!" Sasuke's voice feverishly demanded.

_You know you can't save everything, Itachi…_

"Itachi!"

Itachi suddenly blinked rapidly as forced himself back into the reality of the present. "He was simply using you and Sakura for his own vengeance…"

Sasuke contorted his face in a baffled manner. "What are you talking about?"

"Uchiha Madara…he was the one who helped me implement the massacre. His motives were divergent from my own. He possessed a deep resentment toward both the Uchiha clan and the village. I offered to help Madara claim vengeance against the clan in exchange for him sparing the village. However, Madara was also the one responsible for the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha sixteen years ago. He tried to reinstate his failed attempt at destroying the village by manipulating you and Sakura. That man is simply a pathetic shell of his former self…"

Sasuke continued listening as Itachi paused briefly.

"My sole purpose in the Akatsuki is to observe Madara's activities while also keeping an eye on both you and the village. I was aware that the village was plotting to have you eliminated. I threatened Shimura Danzo and the council if they ever sought to harm you. I would reveal Konoha's vulnerabilities if they had not kept their promise to protect your wellbeing."

"That man…that man…" Sasuke produced a monstrous snarl from the bottom of his throat. "He transplanted the sharingan of our slaughtered clan into his own arm!"

"The Hokage informed me of the detached arm found in Sakura's cloak. Madara must've attempted to collect the relics of the massacre Danzo had possessed. According to the scrolls found within the chambers of his organization he had continued to plot your eradication and violate our agreement."

"Tell me, Itachi…Do you feel regret? Remorse? Do you feel guilty for slaughtering mother and father? Are you happy now that the Uchiha are no more?"

"Sasuke…" Itachi suddenly turned his face sideways avoiding the boy's aggrieved glare. "…I do not regret what I did."

"I still don't understand." Sasuke's icy fingers rigidly curled into trembling fists. "What compelled you to tell the truth to Sakura and lie to me?"

"I did not tell Sakura anything about my intentions behind the massacre."

"Liar!" Sasuke's eyes rapidly flashed a deep crimson shade.

Itachi took a vigilant step backward as his younger brother vigorously rattled the bars of his cell.

"Why did she protect you during our battle? Why were you holding her so intimately and…crying for her?"

Itachi's eyes widened as Sasuke's bitter words had suddenly constricted the muscles coating his chest.

"Oh…I see what's going on…" Sasuke's lips contorted into a spiteful smirk. "And you do not feel any remorse for killing your girlfriend from our clan…"

"Sasuke!" His name brusquely slipped from Itachi's tongue as his chest continued to constrict.

Sasuke's eyes widened taking note of Itachi's atypical reaction. "So you hold no emotion for the demise of our clan yet you cry for Sakura? Why is she so important to you? Why does she deserve your affection?"

He forced a warm sigh into his frozen hands. "I simply took her out of Orochimaru's captivity. That is all…"

Itachi pursed his lips closed as if he wished to change the subject. Sasuke furrowed his brow inquisitively as his older brother seemed to be troubled by the topic of his former teammate. What was the connection between Itachi and Sakura? Why was Itachi acting so guardedly about the Diclonius? Wasn't Sakura utterly infatuated with him previously? Hadn't she offered to aid him in his pursuit of revenge? That pink haired kunoichi had recklessly thrown her own life in direct force of his fatal attack during his battle. Had she discarded her love for him and lusted after his older brother instead? Or had Itachi simply exploited her evident feelings for Sasuke? He yearned to delve into Itachi's mind and dissect the truths he had concealed within his cranium.

"Why won't you be honest with me?" Sasuke attempted to scrutinize Itachi's impassive countenance.

"I am telling you the truth entirely." Itachi responded candidly. "I do not wish to see you harmed. Please cooperate with the Konoha Interrogation Unit."

"I won't cooperate unless I can validate the truth in your words. Answer me this one question."

Itachi listened intently as his brother's crimson eyes seemed to penetrate his skull.

"…Do you love Sakura?"

Itachi's eyes closed serenely. The Diclonius' pneumatic voice filled his ears. She hummed a lyric-less song dissimilar than the one he had heard years ago. However, this song was no less beautiful and enchanting to his aural senses. That captivating, flawless voice seemed to draw him beneath a wave of ethereal tranquility. Only the entrancing sound of the girl's vocal cords could vanquish the insufferable accumulation of the issues burdening his mind. He envisioned the apparition of the girl snuggling against his chest humming him a heartfelt lullaby to pacify him from the nightmares of this hellish reality. His hand reached out to feel the invisible girl's horn but he suddenly touched the icy metal bar of Sasuke's cell instead. Itachi opened his eyes to the bitter actuality staring him back at him with those defiant red eyes.

"Yes…I do…"

* * *

Shizune knocked on the hospital door to administer Sakura's nightly medications and screen her EKG. She flipped on the light switch and gasped at the alarming sight befallen her. A trail of blood streamed the off-white flooring and vacant bed. The Diclonius had ripped herself free of her catheter and connections to the various medical equipment monitoring her vitals.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune bolted out of the room hollering for her master.

The hobbling Diclonius hummed passionately as she neared the apex of the stairway leading to the hospital roof. Her arm stained her medical gown in blood where she had freed herself from the catheter. She continued humming as she opened the door to the raw night breeze. She had heard the wind whisper her name from the window of her hospital bedroom. Intuitively, she yearned to answer the mysterious voice calling her name in the brisk zephyr. The wind delivered the delicate waves of songstress's alluring voice to the grove of his ears. She sang powerfully as if she were trying to convey her voice to someone far away from her. She hadn't seemed to notice his presence on the roof top yet he didn't dare disrupt her. He longed for the pinkette to dedicate her enchanting melodies to him…and solely him.

"Koneko…" A voice called to her as her humming had died down.

Sakura snapped her head toward the source of the voice.

The moonlight illuminated the emergence of a bizarre orange figure. The masked Akatsuki approached the Diclonius slowly.

"Tobi?"

"Koneko! We've been searching all over for you!" The childish Akatsuki wrapped his arms around her petite body.

"I've missed you guys." Sakura whispered into his shoulder. She beamed internally at the prospect of seeing those insane yet strangely lovable S-ranked criminals again.

Tobi slightly lifted his mask revealing only grove of his chin and his thin lips. He grasped her pink locks as his lips ventured toward her ear. His voice suddenly took on a menacing undertone.

"Did you miss me too…?"

* * *

A/N: Did you think I would be so evil as to leave you _without_ a cliffhanger o.O. I wrote this chapter after being inspired by the lullaby at the beginning of Sotanshi by Kaoru Wada. Incredible piece of artwork! You should check it out. Thanks again for reading! ^^


	24. Memento

Sakura lifted her head glancing up at the masked Akatsuki. "What did you do to Tobi?"

He merely chuckled in response. She suddenly grasped the thick fabric of the red and black cloak. "Leave Tobi alone! Please!"

"Silly rabbit…" Tobi's higher pitched voice spoke as he rested his hand on the apple of her cheek. He gave a slight laugh before the tone of his voice descended once again. "I _am_ Tobi."

The Diclonius' bright jade orbs seemed to waver as if they would shatter like glass flukes. A deep blood red light emitted from the dark circular hole on the right side of the mask. She leapt backward out of his embrace and summoned her vectors at her sides.

"Haven't we discussed this before? Your power is useless against me." Madara wagged his finger tauntingly.

"I have another power." A blue chakra illuminated Sakura's fist. She slammed her knuckles into the solid ground beneath her tearing up the concrete of the hospital ceiling.

The masked man leapt in the air dodging the shockwave of the impact. He smirked beneath the bright orange mask as fragments of concrete levitated in the air. The ethereal hands hurled the solid blocks of concrete towards his body from various directions. The scraps of concrete accumulated in the man's position trapping him beneath the wrath of her attack. Sakura furrowed her brow as a massive cloud of debris and dust obscured her vision.

"Are you finished yet?" His voice whispered in her ear.

An icy pang relayed down Sakura's spine. "How did you…?"

"Do I need to keep repeating myself?" Madara forced a sigh.

Sakura retracted her vectors and pivoted on her heel to face him. "You…you're the one who massacred the Haruno clan…"

"Did Itachi tell you that?"

"No." Sakura's eyes evaded the eerie red orb emitting from the hole of the mask. "My great-grandmother told me. You forced her to kill her kin and rip off her own horns!"

"Oh." Madara's voice exuded a nuance of inquisitiveness. "Is that how it was done?"

Sakura glared at the man as he began to chuckle to himself.

"I guess it's true…only the intelligent and the fittest survive." His chuckling suddenly ceased. "Speaking of horns…the Konoha Council and Hokage have deliberated on your penalty. Your horns will be removed and your chakra sealed."

Sakura widened her eyes and lowered her head dejectedly. "If that is my sentence then so be it."

"Say that again without the pained look on your face."

He suddenly cupped her chin in his hand and raised her head. "It would be a tragedy if you lost that extraordinary power of yours. Then you would be rendered uninteresting. I simply cannot allow that…"

"I just want to be normal again…"

"Yet you clutch your horns as you try to hide behind the boldness of your words." He grinned beneath the mask.

Sakura dropped her hands by her sides as she suddenly noticed she involuntarily fiddled with the base of her horns.

"Those Haruno women were merely mutants but you're not like them…You're on a completely separate tier."

Sakura merely glared back at him in disbelief. "Why did you do it? Why did you massacre the Haruno clan?"

Madara seemed to ponder to himself as he withdrew his hand and stroked his chin. "…I did what I thought was right."

An icy gust seemed to break the abrupt silence between them.

"The Haruno were violent, unpredictable women who threatened the very existence of humanity. Knowing that, do you still seek vengeance against those who drove your kind to extinction?"

Sakura's voice spoke pneumatically. "To seek revenge on the humans would defile the sacrifices my great-grandmother and her descendants have made. Fighting the humans would only lead to my demise."

So the girl's logic was the very contrast to the younger Uchiha's. She seemed to possess a distinct sense of rationality. The very essence the Uchiha lacked making his ambitions incredibly malleable.

"As long as my chakra is within your body…you have my protection. No one will be capable of harming you."

Sakura's eyelids closed partially as she grasped his hand. "Why…?"

Madara's hand seemed to tense beneath her grip.

"_Why won't you leave us alone!_"

An eruption of warm blood suddenly coated the smooth surface of her porcelain face. The blood soaked through the thin fabric of her medical gown dampening her skin in the mild liquid. Dismembered fragments of the masked Akatsuki's body scattered the torn up surface of the hospital roof. The water tank atop the roof exploded in a chaos of gushing water and metal scraps. The freezing water pooled around the soles of her feet as she panted in a faltering tempo. She buried her forehead in the palm of her hand hoping to quell the excruciating headache pulsating within her skull. She rested her opposite hand on her rapidly heaving chest. A moment of tranquility seemed to befall the devastated hospital roof.

"_It's over…_" She whispered to herself.

She closed her eyes absorbing the soothing sound of the running water. Droplets of the deep red blood trickled from her chin mingling with the water pooled around her feet. She glanced down at the droplets creating spherical waves of the diluted blood.

"Is that so?" His voice laughed. The man with the long raven hair adorned in the Uchiha robe sat atop the disfigured water tank. "I'm impressed. Did you get those brains from your great-granny?"

"_NO!_" Sakura's shrill voice resonated in the frigid air.

He peered down at the water pooling from the punctured tank. "You're quite sharp for attempting to learn the patterns of my jutsu. However, even if I am tangible you still cannot kill me."

His eyelids closed slowly concealing the light from his left sharingan. "You may not know much about me but I certainly know a great deal about you. When your id persona takes charge your chakra vanishes and your demeanor changes."

He leapt down from the height of the tank and landed before her. She took a step backward as he pushed his long bangs away from his right eye. "You're irresistible when you're feisty but I didn't come here to fight you…or rather watch your futile attempts to kill me. I won't let those Konoha idiots have their way."

Sakura gasped as his body seemed to vanish in a vortex of distorted colors concentrated in his right eye.

"I will always have my eye on you…"

She watched until his translucent body was completely drawn into the epicenter of his intact eye. The bright red orb of the sharingan faded away into the chilly night sky.

"_His eye…?_" She widened her eyes as a persimmon tinted sphere illuminated from beyond that faded demonic eye. Her skull throbbed violently upon viewing the fiery shade cast over the lunar globe.

"Sakura!" A feminine voice called out.

The Diclonius seized her aching cranium turning her face upward toward the sky. She emitted an earsplitting scream as her vectors uncontrollably thrashed around her body.

"Stay back!" Another voice hollered. Kakashi restrained the Godaime with his arm as she attempted to rush the girl's side.

"Kakashi, what's happened to her?" Tsunade glanced back at the silver haired jounin.

"I don't know. It seems as though she is trying to defend herself from something."

She screamed yet again collapsing to her hands and knees. Her vectors retracted as she whispered something unintelligible under her breath.

"Sakura!" Kakashi repeated cautiously approaching her. "Please stay calm. We're here to help you."

"…_late_…" Her bloodied hair veiled her eyes.

Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged mystified looks.

"…_It's too late!_" She hissed ominously.

Kakashi glanced back at the two sannin expecting an elaboration of her words.

Her plump lips suddenly quivered. _"…just…just stay away from us!_"

An eerie silence seemed to segregate the shinobi and petrified Diclonius.

* * *

A/N: Short chapter, I know. But there's more to come! Thanks for reading!


	25. Nostalgia

A/N: I hope you've all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. I would love to receive the gift of fanart for this story. Hey, I may update faster if I do ;p. Mwaha.

* * *

Itachi focused his eyes on the pinkette stirring vigorously in her sleep. The girl grasped onto his hand as she tensed her facial muscles in short, frequent intervals.

"She's been having recurrent panic attacks over the past few days…" The busty Hokage sighed heavily. "We've been administering sedatives to alleviate her anxiety. However, I also wished to speak with you regarding your brother…"

Itachi listened attentively for the Hokage's following words.

"He has been cooperating with the Interrogation Unit and disclosing information. During his sessions, Ibiki and Inoichi meticulously probed his memories and have concluded that he was also subject to possession by Uchiha Madara."

"Possession…?" Itachi furrowed his brow.

The Hokage nodded affirmatively. "Yes. The Konoha Council and I have closely investigated this matter and come to a consensus…Uchiha Sasuke has been acquitted of all charges. However, he is to be monitored by Kakashi and Yamato before we can completely exonerate him."

Itachi widened his eyes. Did his discussion with his younger brother compel him to admit his transgressions?

"Upon further investigations into the ROOT headquarters, we found additional scrolls outlining Danzo's future schemes. He had closely associated with the traitorous Orochimaru and sought to affix Sasuke's eyes to his modified arm. He also grafted cells from the Shodai into his right shoulder in an attempt to gain the powers of the sage. We believe he was seeking to usurp my position as Hokage." Tsunade's face contorted into a deep scowl. "The witnesses within his organization stated he self-destructed after Sasuke stabbed him in the chest. He may have attempted to destroy the evidence of his plans."

Tsunade glanced at the colorful cards and gifts on the table adjacent to Sakura's bedside. "Unfortunately we were unable to obtain any crucial information from Sasuke regarding Uchiha Madara. Sakura may be the one to provide us with such information but unfortunately she seems to be severely traumatized by any means of mind probing."

"I merely joined the Akatsuki as a means of monitoring the village and observing Madara's activities. Only he has the capability to subject the Kyuubi or Diclonius to his own will. Although the uniform goal of the Akatsuki is to possess the nine bijuu, I haven't observed Madara directly in action lately. He has been employing the current leader as a figurehead and monitoring the other members through the use of an alias."

"I don't want to hear that name…" A weak voice spoke.

"Sakura?" Tsunade snapped her head toward the awakened Diclonius.

"I don't want to hear about 'him' anymore! He constantly predominates my thoughts and continues to torment me with that cruel grin of his whenever I close my eyes." Her jade eyes widened at the sight of the colorful cards and gifts strewn across the table near her bedside. Were all these gifts from her friends? She reminisced to the time she spent in the village laughing and giggling alongside the Konoha rookies before her transformation. She thought back to the days she spent eating lunch at the ramen stand and shopping in the marketplace with Ino and Hinata. "I…I just want to think of the happy memories before this whole nightmare began…"

Itachi and Tsunade exchanged unison glances. Itachi tapped Sakura's large brow and gave a gentle smile. "It wouldn't hurt to let her see the village again. It may alleviate her pent up anxiety."

"Hm…" Tsunade bit her lower lip. "That may be true. Perhaps we may be able to attain more information from her if she can receive some form of relaxation. In that case…You and Jiraiya must be at her side at all times. Even if her powers are restrained, she may receive backlash from skeptical villagers."

"I will ensure her safety and the safety of the villagers. Please have faith in me." Itachi lowered his head respectfully.

"Thank you Tsunade-shishou!" Sakura chirped mirthfully.

* * *

"Ino-pig! Hinata-sama!" The Diclonius squeezed the two kunoichi in a tight embrace. "How I've missed you two!"

Jiraiya and Itachi stood side by side watching the girls hug each other affectionately. Jiraiya beamed at the pleasing sight. "What I'd give to be sandwiched in there."

Itachi remained silent ignoring the remarks of the perverted sannin. Ino marveled at the charmingly adorned pinkette. She wore a black, teal, and white patterned corset exhibiting her voluptuous curves and narrow waist. A short black skirt with a teal trim tightly hugged her exquisite hips. She topped off her chic outfit with black and white leggings and a soft round navy blue hat covering her horns.

"Wah? Since when did you ever develop a taste in fashion?" Ino inquired as she fiddled with the lacing of her corset.

"Um…since…" Sakura reminisced to her moments spent with the two artistic Akatsuki members who berated her for her lack of fashionable apparel. She could never admit the truth to that crafty, pigheaded blonde! In an attempt to spare herself the humility, she shifted her eyes to the anticipatory kunoichi and emitted a nervous titter. "I guess recently…"

"Um…Sakura-chan?" Hinata's demure voice spoke up. "Will we ever get to do…you know…what we were supposed to do before you um…disappeared?"

Ino and Sakura exchanged devious grins and rubbed their hands simultaneously. They both placed their hands on each of Hinata's shoulders. "Let's do it!"

"Sakura-san!" A familiar voice called out.

The pinkette widened her eyes as a vivacious green figure bolted in her direction. An orange and black figure rammed against the side of the boy in green.

"I'm asking her first!"

"No way! I won't let you win, Bushy Brow!"

"How troublesome…those two…" Shikamaru approached the trio of kunoichi. The additional Konoha rookies followed behind him.

Sakura clasped her hands together in astonishment. "I can't express how much I've missed you guys!"

Shikamaru, Shino, Kiba, Neji, Chouji, and Tenten stood in a semicircular arrangement before the jovial Diclonius. Itachi and Jiraiya watched the group exchange greetings from a short distance away. Jiraiya shifted toward Itachi's shoulder and lowered his tone of voice.

"Have you gotten very far with her yet?" Jiraiya gave an uncanny smirk.

The Uchiha simply narrowed his dark eyes in response

"I'm just kidding!" Jiraiya waved his hands frantically as if the Uchiha would slaughter him with his fatal glare. He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his scalp. "But I've longed to know more about the mysterious horned beings. It is unknown if they are a subspecies of humans or have descended from a different lineage of beings entirely. I've only heard of them in stories but never had I ever seen a living, viable Diclonius in my lifetime. What secrets and capabilities did those creatures possess? What kind of fascinating features did they encompass unbeknownst to humankind? And…"

Itachi lifted his head and listened intently as the sannin's tone descended gravely.

"I've always wanted to know if the rumors were true…" Jiraiya gazed intensely into the Uchiha's stolid countenance. "…Do the Diclonii really have a fourth hole?"

Itachi forced a loud sigh and pivoted away from the peculiar man. He closed his eyes and ambled a few paces in the opposite direction. Jiraiya raised his hand hastily in the air. "Wait! I need to know for my next novel!"

"Did I hear something about a new novel?" A jaded eyed jounin approached Jiraiya.

"Yo, Kakashi. What are you doing here?" Jiraiya flashed him a jolly grin.

Kakashi tilted his head toward a group of shinobi sitting around a picnic bench. "Keeping an eye on Sasuke and his friends. Nothing too particularly interesting. Now what was this about a new novel?"

Jiraiya stroked his chin pensively. "Hmm…I've been playing on a few different ideas but I need to do a bit more research."

Both silver haired men turned their gaze to the pinkette standing in the center of the Konoha rookies. She clouted Naruto on the top of the head and covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her giggles. She then bent over to stroke the velvety ears of a large dog standing loyally beside a spiky haired boy.

A young swordsman licked his slick pointy teeth in delight as he viewed the scene from behind a bare cherry blossom tree. His eyes traced the curvaceous form of the porcelain skinned Diclonius. "Humina humina…"

"What are you looking at?" Karin rose from the picnic bench. She folded her arms against her chest and cocked a single eyebrow.

Suigetsu ignored her as he continued to observe the activities of the large group.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"What was her name again…?"

"Who?"

He slowly turned his head toward the redhead. "The pink haired girl."

"The Diclonius? That girl is psychotic! Remember?" Karin hissed loudly.

"Maybe she's just a gentle soul with a wild side like Jugo." He called out to Sasuke who was still seated on the bench. "Hey Sasuke, wasn't that girl one of your teammates?"

The Uchiha responded in an uncaring manner. "What of it?"

"Did you ever well…hook up?"

"No. I turned her down."

Suigetsu widened his eyes and contorted his face in utter bewilderment. "Are you serious? You turned down _that_? Now I'm positive you're a homosexual!"

Karin seized Suigetsu by the throat and rattled him like a ragdoll. "Don't insult Sasuke-kun! Besides, he would never date a savage. He only likes sophisticated women such as myself."

Suigetsu wrenched himself free from Karin's wrathful hold. He rubbed the side of his neck and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. It's your loss. I'll get her attention with my impeccable sword skills."

"She's taken." Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed crossly.

"Huh? By who?"

"My brother…"

Suigetsu drew his enormous sword and brandished the blade pretentiously. "He's just an obstacle. I'll win her over. Just you see."

Karin buried her forehead in her hand and forced an agitated groan. "Idiot…"

Jugo scrutinized the Uchiha's stern expression and glanced at the pink haired girl in the distance. Perhaps the girl had shared more in common with him than he had initially thought. Maybe she truly was a gentle soul who also possessed unpredictable, hostile tendencies.

Itachi and Jiraiya waited near the cashier's stand as the three kunoichi raided a kimono store. Hinata, Ino, and Sakura each carried a silk ornamented kimono in their arms.

"I'm so glad we finally got the chance to shop for kimonos! I thought we were never going to get the chance again." Ino chirped as she rubbed the smooth silk between the pads of her fingers.

"I'll go in first." Sakura smiled back at the girls as she entered the dressing room.

She closed the door gently and kicked off her sandals. She rolled down the striped leggings first and then grasped the hem of her skirt. The pinkette snapped her head toward the rectangular window below the ceiling of the dressing room. She grit her teeth as a loud rattling noise emanated from the narrow window.

"A peeper…" She released the hem of her skirt and curled her fingers into a fist. "It's probably Naruto or that little brat Konohamaru!"

She grasped onto the window ledge and wormed her way through the thin opening. A tiny shriek escaped her mouth as she crashed down onto the pavement in a dark alleyway behind the store. She rubbed her skinned palms on her skirt and slowly rose back to her feet.

"I swear I'll beat you to a pulp once I find you, you pervert!" Sakura panned her eyes across the dark alley.

A hand suddenly pressed against her mouth as someone restrained her from behind.

"Don't speak…" A callous voice whispered.

A masculine figure peered down from the rooftop adjoining the alleyway. He crouched down surreptitiously to avoid detection. He squinted a lone crimson eye scrutinizing the dark figure restraining the Diclonius in the alleyway.


	26. Altricial

Sakura struggled against her restrainer and stomped on his foot. She spun around to face a familiar raven haired boy.

"Sasuke-kun?" She released a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that! I've been through enough already…"

He simply muttered an indifferent "hn."

"How did you get released so soon?"

"It's none of your concern." Sasuke folded his arms and leaned against the alley wall.

"It is my concern!" Sakura protested. "You were also involved with 'him.'"

"It was simple to prove my innocence." Sasuke gave a conceited smirk. "Those interrogators are nothing but a joke. With my eyes, I was able to manipulate my memories and fool them into thinking I was possessed by Madara. Those idiots could not distinguish my real memories from a fake one. They underestimate the abilities of my sharingan."

Sakura lowered her eyes and frowned in a disheartened manner. "So you still lust after revenge…"

"I intend to revive the Uchiha clan." Sasuke's voice began to increase with intense fervor. "I will purify the name of the Uchiha once and for all!"

The pinkette remained silent as he curled his fingers upward as if he were holding his unbridled enthusiasm within the palms of his hands. "The death of that goddamn martyr, Danzo, was one of the most gratifying experiences I have ever felt in my life. Never had I felt a high so great! I felt as though I had honored the spirit of the clan by liberating it from this corrupt shinobi world. I shall wipe the clan from everyone's memories by slaughtering each and every person in the Leaf Village and severing any link to the Uchiha name! That is how I will attain my ultimate goal of reviving my clan!"

A cold bead of sweat drifted downward from Sakura's brow as the Uchiha erupted into a maniacal bout of laughter. She took a step backward as his loud laughter died down to a softer chuckle. His shoulders quivered from the force of his crazed chuckling.

"Sasuke-kun…That doesn't make any sense…" Sakura couldn't help but utter her words in a hushed manner. "You can't revive a clan by killing innocent people…"

"No Leaf villager is innocent. They all live on spilled blood of my clan."

"You may not know this but my clan died out long before yours. My ancestors were slaughtered on orders of the dominant clans that now reside in this village. Uchiha Madara and his brother were the ones who executed the massacre. They butchered my ancestors like prey and even forced my great-grandmother to rip off her own horns in order to escape detection. She was the sole survivor of the Haruno massacre and sought to preserve the existence of the Diclonii by living in secrecy amongst the humans. My inner voice enticed me into thinking that the elimination of the humans would grant me satisfaction. However, my great-grandmother appeared before me. She informed me that trying to eliminate the humans would merely drive the Diclonii to complete extinction. She went through tremendous hardships just to provide me with my very existence. The only way to carry on the legacy of the Haruno clan is to harmonize with the humans—forgive them for their transgressions and re-establish a means of coexistence. Otherwise, all of my great-grandmother's sacrifices would be a lost cause…"

Sasuke broke into laughter once again. "Don't attempt to identify with all the hardships I have undergone. You are far too simple-minded to understand how I feel."

"Sasuke-kun…please believe me." Sakura pleaded with the obstinate Uchiha. "Revenge on Konoha would only tarnish the sacrifices Itachi has made!"

"What business do you have with Itachi? Why does someone like you deserve his affection?"

Sakura blinked forcefully as his infuriated voice reverberated within the solid walls of the alley.

"I don't wish to talk about it…" Sakura spoke in a tiny voice.

"Tell me!"

"Please…I don't want to talk about it…"

"You were once in love with me. Am I not correct? You're simply using my brother as a replacement for me!"

Sakura widened her eyes as his venomous words penetrated deep within her chest. She clasped her hand over her bosom as if she were applying pressure to a bleeding puncture wound. "Why…? Why are you being so hurtful?"

"So my words are true. You still do love me. You're just exploiting my brother so you can get to me." The Uchiha tilted his head and smirked pompously.

"That is not true!" Tears streamed from Sakura's brilliant jade eyes.

Sasuke's eyes radiated the characteristically deep shade of red. He grasped Sakura by the chin and gazed into her glossy, tear-ridden eyes. He forced her up against the wall and barricaded her with his own body.

"Please, Sasuke-kun…" She murmered. "Please don't…"

He pressed his lips against hers and plunged his tongue inside her mouth. She clenched her teeth down on his tongue and rolled her head sideways.

"I thought this was what you've always wanted?" Sasuke oriented her face back toward him and fixated his eyes on hers once again.

"No, don't…"

"You can't resist me."

"Stop it!"

A piercing scream suddenly echoed within the alleyway. Sasuke buried his eyes in his fingers. He grunted excruciatingly as a deep red tinge filled the crevices between his fingers and dripped down the back of his hands. Sakura hung her head low covering her eyes beneath the veil of pink tresses.

"_You're just like that man…_"

Sasuke removed his hands from his eyes and blinked repeatedly to clear his obstructed vision.

"_You think you can do anything you please just because you have those eyes! How I despise those goddamned eyes…_"

"You're not Sakura! Who the hell are you?" Sasuke took a step backward as he recognized the atypical cold voice.

"_I'm the one who holds no reservations. I utter the thoughts hidden deep within the depths of our mind._"

Sasuke suddenly yelped as a mysterious force punched him in the stomach. Something repeatedly punched him and sheared the surface of his skin as if originating from many different directions. Before he could double over to stifle his pain, his body was tossed across the alleyway like a ragdoll. He crashed into a pair of tin trashcans scattering trash components around his body. He glanced upward as the hidden-eyed Diclonius slowly sauntered toward him. The trashcans imploded upon themselves as if crushed by an invisible force of weight. He grunted in reaction to the loud sound of the crushed tin. The Diclonius stood with her legs on separate sides of his neck as he lay flat on his back beneath her. She wrapped a pair of twin vectors around his throat and watched as he gagged within her hold.

"_Does it hurt?_" She whispered loudly while he thrashed about. "_Don't worry, I won't kill you. You're too important to us._"

She glanced downward as she felt a heat radiate from the palm of his hand. "Chii…."

The Uchiha screamed as his hand instantly snapped backward beyond its natural alignment. The corners of her mouth drew into a downward arc as he continued to holler in pain.

"_Do you know anything about the unbearable pain we've endured for your sake? We sacrificed our body to Orochimaru just for the opportunity to see you once again. He drove a drill through our skull, subjected us to cruel and agonizing tests…and you…you attacked us anyway despite our utter despair._" He spotted her glazed green eyes and constricted pupils beneath the pink locks draped over her face. "_The moment you raised your sword, I felt that deep, innate loathing ignite within my core…the unreserved resentment of human nature. You were the very embodiment of the loathing that dwells deep inside us. But I have to admit, we were once very much like you…_"

The Diclonius released her grip on the spluttering Sasuke's throat. Her voice seemed to acquire an airy tone as she gave a slight smile. "_We were once very flawed…very human. When we first laid eyes on you we had immediately become confined within the walls of our own greed. We were bare, helpless, and dependent on others to rescue and provide for us…we were bound to the confines of the nest like a newborn bird. We were blind to the rest of the world around us since our world revolved solely around you. We merely sat around with our mouth gaping open hoping that someday you would swoop down and nourish us with the dream we clung so foolishly onto. We never appreciated the efforts of Naruto, Kakashi, and the rest of our comrades who selflessly came to our defense. Although we had physically matured after your departure, we had yet to abandon our self-indulgent desires. It wasn't until we received the opportunity to discover that man's altruistic intentions and kindness. He was the one who liberated us from that repressive nest of inborn egotism that stems from human nature._"

He remained silent locking his seething eyes on the callous pinkette towering above him. He struggled to contract his muscles but felt paralyzed by an abnormal sensation of pressure. She closed her eyes envisioning the gentle smile of the elder Uchiha. "_Itachi is the rare example of a human who bears no selfish desires… The one who truly understands the compassionate nature of our species…Our one true companion…_"

"_You said you believed Itachi was a replacement for you…How absurd…Itachi was never a replacement. He is our founding of a genuine love_." Sasuke grit his teeth as a laceration on his brow began to soak his bangs with blood. Sakura's voice descended ominously as she cast her eyes on the battered boy lying beneath her. "_We no longer love you anymore…because…you are infantile…_"

A shiver relayed down Sasuke's spine as she uttered her last word with an eerily harsh emphasis. His chest panged with a searing heat as if she plunged a kunai deep into his heart. He plastered a smirk on his lips to counterattack her biting words although the Diclonius did not seem to be deluded by his forged pride.

"_You're nothing but an infantile kid who leeches off others. You have no perception of the world beyond your own wants. You never demonstrated appreciation for the things Team 7, or the Konoha civilians, or even your own brother have done for you. All you crave is your own desires of satisfaction like an infant draining the nourishment from its parents. You may have matured physically but you still possess the mentality of a mere child. You've relied so heavily on the efforts of others to aid in your pursuit of your goals but never have you even once considered the needs of your comrades. Where would you be without the help of others? Your objective is to crush the Leaf village yet you lie helplessly beneath me?_ _Do you even know why you still crave revenge when your brother has limitlessly suffered and worked so diligently to protect the village you brand as your enemy? My other self may hold affection toward the humans but I am not the same. However, if you hurt Itachi or cause him to further suffer…I will tear your limbs off…_"

The Diclonius took a few steps and disappeared into the dark alley leaving him bruised, bloodied, and agonized. Kakashi covered his sharingan eye with his headband and watched the pinkette depart the alley. He leapt down to Sasuke's location and crouched down toward his level. Sweat and warm blood mingled in the crevices of the Uchiha's dark eyes as he panted unevenly.

"I don't know if that was really Sakura speaking or not but…you needed to hear the truth of reality, Sasuke…" Kakashi whispered to himself.

* * *

A/N: Thanks again for all the wonderfully kind reviews! I truly appreciate my awesome readers! So if you were a bit confused with the way Sakura was speaking in first person in this chapter let me clarify. Sakura's other persona speaks in the singular form of first person when she refers directly to her own personality. She speaks in the plural form when she is referring to Sakura as a whole (both personas in one).


	27. Departure

The pinkette walked in a brisk manner away from the secluded alley. She hurried past the entrance of the kimono store while two girls looked upon her with confusion.

"There you are, Forehead! We were looking everywhere for you." Ino draped an icy blue kimono around her arm.

The Diclonius ignored her and sauntered past the blonde. Hinata and Ino trotted behind the hurried pinkette.

"What's the matter? Why won't you answer me?" Ino grasped Sakura by the wrist.

"Sakura-chan…?" Hinata pressed her fingers against her lip.

Jiraiya and Itachi watched the two girls' attempts to seize the impassive Diclonius' attention. Jiraiya glanced back at the Uchiha and then to the Diclonius.

"What is wrong with her?" Jiraiya cocked a single eyebrow.

Itachi scrutinized the sauntering girl's posture. She seemed to round her shoulders and hunch her back in an atypical manner. Perhaps she was still encountering recurrent bouts of pain. Itachi blocked the sannin from pursing the girl as she broke into a sudden gallop. Ino and Hinata exchanged bemused glances as they watched their friend bolt around the corner of the alleyway.

"Let me handle this." Itachi instructed the silver haired shinobi.

Jiraiya sighed forcefully and folded his arms. "I trust you know what to do…"

She couldn't help but feel uncomfortable in the presence of the humans observing her every movement. She wanted to run as far as her legs could carry her away from the burden of their prying eyes. Her knees buckled beneath her as she sat cross-legged on the frozen concrete. Sakura scratched her arm vigorously as if she tried to claw something out from beneath the surface of her skin. Her fingernails marked her pale forearm with darkened pink streaks. She rotated her forearm and clawed the untouched lighter skin.

"Sakura…"

She glanced upward at the tall Uchiha towering above her. She hastily grasped her forearm and buried it beneath her large bust.

"_We're not going back…_"

Itachi waited patiently anticipating a clarification of her words. She deciphered his hushed demeanor and exhaled loudly. "_We're not going back to the hospital…_"

"You do not seem well."

"_We're fine!_" The Diclonius uttered a cat-like hiss.

Itachi seemed unfazed by her abrupt response.

"_They…they…want to rob us of our identity once again._" Sakura clasped onto her left horn as she curled into a defensive position. "_If we return to the hospital…they will cut off our horns and seal our chakra…_"

Itachi widened his eyes in utter astonishment. How was she aware of the Hokage and Konoha Council's plans? Tsunade could not have possibly informed her when she had specifically instructed him not to reveal the details of her penalty. Sakura drooped her head dejectedly as she stared at the bleak concrete ground.

"_To us, the pain of losing our horns is just as unfathomable as having your eyes gauged out. If we lose our horns and chakra, we will be vulnerable to the evils that lie beyond human perception_." She raised her head upwards to the sky and drooped her head once again. "_But, he said he will not allow Konoha to have its way. He said it was a means of protection but…but…_"

Sakura paused and folded her knees up against her chest as if to stifle herself from further speaking.

"Please continue, Sakura." Itachi stated urgently.

Sakura twisted uncomfortably and avoided his piercing gaze. "_There is nothing more to be said…_"

Itachi bent at the waist and rested his hand on her cranium. "Please do not keep anything from me. I can't stand to see you so pained."

"_Itachi…_" The glazed eyes of the callous Diclonius suddenly assumed a lustrous sheen. Her constricted pupils widened as her vibrant jade orbs seemed to quiver. "_Gomenasai…_"

Why was she apologizing? The Uchiha brooded to himself. What was she trying to keep from him? Did she refuse to trust him despite his efforts to be candid with her?

"_We've been wracked with this feeling of discomfort…this invasive sensation of another's chakra dwelling within our body…_"

Another's chakra? Itachi felt his pulse thunder within his skull. "Whose?"

Her long pink bangs draped over her brow casting an ominous shadow over her brilliant colored eyes. "…_Madara_…"

A sudden sweltering heat seemed to accumulate behind his eyes. He grasped the Diclonius by the arm and lifted her to her feet. Sakura gave a slight gasp as his arms enclosed her in a tight embrace. She could feel a scorching heat emanate from beneath his thick cloak. She rested her chin against the grove of his burly shoulder. He felt as though the unbearable heat accumulating behind his eyes would cast flames upon anything caught within his gaze. He clutched the petite girl tighter against his chest as he felt her tense muscles gradually relax within his embrace. Never had anything forced him to lose control of his placid demeanor. He squeezed his eyelids shut in an attempt to quell the blistering heat threatening to escape the midst of his pin-wheeled eyes. How dare that manipulative bastard exploit the girl in such a malicious manner! What was he planning? He cupped his hands over his eyes causing the Diclonius to flinch in surprise. She clutched onto his wrists and pulled his hands downwards away from his closed eyelids. Itachi exhaled subtly as the pads of her fingers traced the distinctive troughs lining his face. She tenderly rubbed her smooth, velvety cheeks against the side of his face as if trying to siphon the pain and heat amassing within his optic nerve. A heap of bright pink hair obscured his vision as he flipped his eyelids open. He brushed the hair away from his eyes with his long fingers and gazed down into the entrancingly faultless face of the mysterious being. For a long time, he had sacrificed his own desires to defend those most important to him. Ever since the night of the massacre, he had never once tended to his own individual wants or even held a possession to call his own. His personal wishes were never once deemed a priority nor a requirement for his own satisfaction. He had become used to a lifestyle of detachment that Kisame often joked as "Sannyasa-esque." But this Diclonius had completely shattered his stoic façade. He had developed a selfish yearning to keep the girl solely for himself.

* * *

Itachi stood face to face with the Hokage and Toad Sage.

"Are you sure you want to carry through with this, Itachi?" Tsunade rested her chin on her interlaced fingers.

"It is the only way I can ensure her safety as well as the safety of the village." The Uchiha nodded affirmatively. "It is best if she does not learn of my whereabouts."

"What shall we do about her then?" The silver haired sannin furrowed his brow inquisitively. "She has been acting particularly bizarre."

"It may distract her if we can have her perform lower ranking missions or resume training with Kakashi. He is the only other shinobi capable of detecting her powers." Tsuande glanced at Itachi awaiting a response of approval.

"That may be appropriate." Itachi draped his Akatsuki cloak over his shoulders. "I most likely will not return…But please head my final request and protect Sasuke and Sakura."

Jiraiya grinned at the Uchiha and flashed him a thumbs up. "You can count on us."

"I wish you all the best." The blonde Hokage nodded her head and watched as he vanished in a flurry of coal black feathers.

Itachi returned to the temporary apartment complex provided to him by the council. He quietly entered the vacant apartment and headed toward the bedroom. The pinkette rested serenely beneath multiple layers of blanketing. He joined the sleeping Diclonius underneath the blankets while avoiding to awake her. She breathed something unintelligible and rested her head on his chest. He stroked the smooth bony protrusion atop her scalp and whispered inaudibly to himself.

"Forgive me, Sakura…"

The rays of sunlight illuminated the Diclonius' eyelids casting a red shade upon her obscured vision. She shifted side to side pushing the blanketing aside in an attempt to avoid the awakening of a new day. Her hand fished for the presence of the chiseled muscle but instead contacted the hardwood flooring. Her skull suddenly pulsated loudly as the length of her fingers seemed to be overcome by a tingling sensation of numbness. She sat erect and forced the thick layering of blankets aside.

"Itachi?" She glanced at the wall rack. The red and black Akatsuki cloak had vanished. Itachi never wore that cloak inside the village. Had he..?

The barefoot Diclonius scouted the vacant apartment for any subtle signs of the Uchiha's whereabouts. Although she merely wore a short, silky light blue nightdress she rushed outside around the perimeter of the apartment complex. "Itachi!"

She rushed down the freezing concrete staircase onto the dirt pathway leading toward the main streets. She snapped her head left and right seeking out any signs of a dark-haired individual. "Itachi!"

The panicked pinkette forced herself a pathway through a group of academy-aged children. Civilians turned their gaze to the barefoot, barely clothed girl trotting through the streets calling out Itachi's name. She didn't care for the dirt and grime clinging to the soles of her feet or the stinging sensation rushing up her calves as she ran on the solid road. It felt as though the pounding of her feet on the surface of the paved road shook the tears loose from her eyes. The tears started to drip with each step she took as her screams intensified in volume. She buried her face in her hands clenched into fists in an attempt to stifle the tears flowing in an increasingly rapid rate.

"Watch out!" A man's voice called out.

Sakura fell backward onto her rump barely catching herself with her arms outstretched behind her. She had collided with a bright green masculine figure walking along the road on his hands. The man pivoted on the bulb of his wrist in an effort to rescue his balance.

"Whoa!" Gai hinged his legs back down to the ground. "Are you alright, Miss?"

He crept down into a crouch and scrutinized the weeping girl. "Sakura…?"

Her hands trembled as she drew them closer toward her face. She buried her face in the security of her hands while her back quivered with each sniffle she struggled to curb.


	28. Treachery

The green jounin gently patted the sobbing girl's back. "Please don't cry."

"Gai-sensei!" Another voice came running up to the overly-zealous shinobi. "Is…is that Sakura-san?"

"A damsel in distress…" He suddenly lifted the petite girl's body into the air with a single hand and struck an awkward pose with the other. "…rescued once again by the power of youth!"

"Oohh!" The miniature version of Gai puckered his lips in a rounded shape as he gazed upon his effervescent mentor with admiration.

Gai continued radiating his signature manly grin while Sakura sat upward in his hand barely holding up her miserably limp head. Two additional shinobi caught up to the rest of the team. Tenten and Neji exchanged unison glances as Gai continued to strike further possess as if trying to transmit the life back into the disconsolate Diclonius.

Tenten tilted her head in utter mortification. "She looks…dead…"

Gai shifted his eyes to his unamused students and stifled a nervous laugh. "The power of youth never fails. She is merely…"

"That's enough." The masked jounin confronted his posing rival. "Unhand my student."

He glared at the silver haired shinobi and frowned. "What's with your attitude? Can't you see she's stopped crying?"

"She looks severely depressed. Did you even try to figure out why she is in this condition?" Kakashi sighed internally. Gai's overly fervent approach had never allowed him to truly perceive the reality of another individual's feelings. Despite his outlandish efforts to cheer up the glum Sakura, Kakashi mentally thanked the obnoxious man for his optimistic intentions.

"She was running down the road and crashed into me. Then she started crying."

He set the girl down to her feet allowing her to stand independently. Kakashi grasped her arm scrutinizing the long streaks of discolored, agitated skin. "Sakura, you have rashes all over your arm."

Sakura withdrew her arm and said nothing.

"Those rashes do not look normal."

Sakura shook her head and gazed into the sole dark eye of her masked mentor. "I want to speak with Tsunade-shishou."

"Tsunade has assigned you to a mission today. It would be best if you prepared yourself first."

* * *

Sakura stood before the blonde Hokage and the Toad Hermit. She sported the kunoichi attire she wore before her kidnapping.

"Sakura, I summoned you here today to inform you of your upcoming mission." Tsunade began.

"Where is he?" Sakura interjected. "Where is Itachi?"

Tsunade sighed into her hands and furrowed her brow. "Please don't interrupt me. You and Kakashi will be assisting an elderly woman to…"

"Don't divert from my question. Where did he go?"

"Sakura, don't speak to the Hokage in such an impolite manner." Kakashi reprimanded the impatient girl.

"Itachi stated he had important business to attend to. I'm afraid we do not know the details of his whereabouts."

"_Usotsuki_!"

The shinobi recoiled at the startling callousness in her voice. She blinked forcefully as the room seemed to be consumed in an awkward silence. She rubbed her eyes against the back of her hand and lowered her eyes in a compliant manner. "Please excuse me…"

The Diclonius tuned out the Godaime's voice as she continued delivering instructions regarding her upcoming mission. Why had Itachi suddenly abandoned her and disappeared without informing her? He had left with his Akatsuki cloak…had he been compelled to return to the Akatsuki? The last conversation she had held with the Uchiha was regarding Madara…had he departed the village in order to confront him? Sakura's fists trembled as her thoughts drowned out the Hokage's words. Was Itachi really planning to confront Madara in his current condition? He had barely persisted during his fight with Sasuke and would have perished if she had not interfered. She couldn't allow him to shoulder that burden. She had to concoct a way to intercept their confrontation and prevent Itachi's projected demise.

"Understood?" The Godaime's ascending voice jolted her back to the external world.

Sakura nodded her head affirmatively despite her obliviousness to her mentor's instructions. The chuunin and jounin departed the Hokage Tower and ventured to the marketplace.

"Sempai." Yamato strolled up beside the silver haired shinobi. "What are you doing here?"

Kakashi sifted through the pages of his treasured novel while the Diclonius shopped for supplies in the large bazaar. "Just the same old menial things…"

"Sakura-chan!" The jovial blonde tapped the pinkette's shoulder.

"Naruto-kun?" Sakura whipped her head as his loud voice had startled her.

Kiba, Sai, Hinata, and Ino stood behind the obnoxious blonde. Sakura squinted her eyes as she spotted the detached younger Uchiha keeping his distance from the group. The group seemed to trail behind her as she meandered around the marketplace. Naruto's head hovered over her right shoulder as she grasped a large wad of fluffy eggshell white clay and stored it inside a paper bag. Would that quantity be enough? She pondered to herself and grasped two additional handfuls.

"Eh? Why are you buying so much clay?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow.

Sakura shoved his forehead backward with her knuckles and beamed at the rest of the group. "I'm preparing for my upcoming mission."

"Why would you need that for a mission?" Kiba contorted his face.

Sakura ignored him and continued shopping for additionally bizarre items. Ino laughed as the pinkette added two small bottles of sake to her collection.

"What kind of mission are you going on anyway?" The blonde kunoichi emitted a hearty titter.

"It's a pretty important one." Sakura tilted her head and smiled at the group once again. She waved at her peers and trotted off with her bag of newly acquired items.

Sai's pale forehead lined with deepened wrinkles as he furrowed his brow. "Sasuke…Naruto…you were all on the same team with Sakura."

"What of it?" Sasuke answered abruptly.

"Did you notice her smile?" Sai stroked his chin.

"What about it? She's always smiling." Sasuke snapped his head sideways rejecting the curiosity in Sai's voice.

"You sure do not know much about her for being her former teammate. You should've noticed something suspicious immediately. That was not an ordinary smile. That was a smile of deception."

"Deception?" Naruto's mouth hung open inquisitively.

"Yes." Sai nodded while still gripping his chin. "That was the smile she plastered on her face before she punched me during our first encounter."

The spiky haired Inuzuka bit his lip with his long canines. "Do you think she's lying about something?"

"I'm not sure…" Sai watched the Diclonius trot off into the distance.

Kakashi lifted his headband just enough to barely expose his sharingan. He carefully scrutinized the lip movements of the young shinobi group. He sighed forcefully and headed after the Diclonius.

* * *

Sakura draped a snug khaki cloak over her shoulders before departing the apartment complex. She tightened the straps of her backpack and opened the front door. She inhaled the chilly night breeze and panned across the complex to detect the presence of any individuals. The masked jounin surveyed the girl from a substantial distance as she clasped her hands together and muttered something inaudible to herself.

"I trust in you to conceal our presence…" She whispered to herself. Her pupils suddenly constricted while her eyes seemed to assume a glazed appearance.

Kakashi squinted as his eyes seemed to have deceived him. The girl's chakra had completely vanished. He leapt in front of her and blocked the complex outlet. "Where are you headed at this time of night?"

"_It's none of your concern_…"

Kakashi's eyes widened in horror as an array of ethereal arms emerged from her back. He raised his hands and flapped his palms defensively. "Whoa! Whoa! Easy Sakura! Let's just be calm about this…"

Although he was able to see her vectors, the Godaime had never actually elaborated on any methods of defense against them. What had she previously stated about the pineal gland again? Who was this strange persona and what happened to Sakura? Was she subject to possession or genjutsu? He mentally cursed to himself as the non-corporeal hands seemed to glide closer toward him.

He concentrated chakra to the balls of his feet and performed a rapid series of hand seals. She trapped him inside a web of interlaced vectors surrounding his body. He glanced left and right searching for an escape route from the unmerciful hands.

"_We_ _have no time to deal with you_…"

A single ethereal fist struck him in the skull causing him to stagger forward and collapse to the solid concrete. She watched her mentor collide with the ground and stepped over his unconscious body nonchalantly. She continued treading her way through the silent village streets toward the exit. A shiver emanating from her neck seemed to make her shoulders quiver uncontrollably. A hushed voice seemed to travel through the frigid airstream to the cups of her ear. She halted abruptly as the low voice uttered the sound of her name. Her strides quickened in response to the increasing volume of the voice. She clasped her hand over her bosom as a wave of ecstasy prompted her legs to carry her almost effortlessly. The Diclonius began to run ardently as if sprinting down an elevated hill toward the origin of the sultry voice. She parted her lips slightly open to savor the sensation of the rushing air coating her wet lips. A dark figure sat on a concrete bench shadowed beneath the decaying cherry blossom trees. The pinkette felt as though something had punched her in the solar plexus. She pursed her lips closed and dropped her hands by her sides halting before the figure seated on the bench.

"_Oh, it's you_…" She sighed contemptuously.

"Hn. Where are you headed?" Sasuke rested his chin on his interlaced fingers.

Sakura remained soundless pivoting away from Uchiha. She lowered her head disappointedly and continued to amble silently.

"You're going after my brother, aren't you?" He rose from the concrete bench. "You should not be prying into his private affairs."

"_It_ _is of our concern to ensure his safety_." The Diclonius answered in her quiet, pneumatic voice. "_We could never forgive ourselves if…if something were to happen to him_."

"You underestimate him. My brother is a highly capable shinobi who can take care of himself. You would simply be a burden to him."

"_Itachi is in no condition to engage in combat_!" Sakura hissed at the conceited Uchiha.

Sasuke didn't respond as she locked her feral eyes on him.

"_Itachi refuses to admit the truth but…his body is deteriorating from a terminal illness_…_It's evident he seeks to confront Madara but we cannot allow him to bear that burden_."

"Terminal illness…?" Sasuke muttered to himself. Did her words hold any validity? An eerie numbness seemed to relay from his chest down to every limb of his body. "If my brother's life is in danger then I am leaving as well."

"_No_." She shook her head defiantly. "_We do not trust you_."

Sasuke fumingly shouted his words in the face of the girl. "Itachi is _my_ brother and you…you…"

_You are infantile…_The Diclonius' icy words echoed within his mind.

_Itachi was never a replacement for you. He is our founding of a genuine love_.

Sasuke exhaled forcefully as she stared at him indifferently despite his loud shouting. He recalled Sakura's heartfelt confession on the night of his departure a few years back. She had been nothing but a lovesick fangirl who knew nothing of the hardships and struggles he had endured. She had screamed, cried, pleaded with him to stay, and even offered to aid him in his path of vengeance. He smirked internally as he reflected on Itachi's words to him regarding his feelings about the Diclonius. Perhaps they had truly liberated each other from the shackles of their own vices. The deadpan Sakura suddenly gasped as Sasuke captured her petite body in an unexpected embrace. She widened her lustrous jade eyes and summoned her vectors in response to his suspicious actions. He wrapped his arm around her tiny frame and grasped her pink locks within his fingers.

"_Sasuke…?_" The apples of her cheeks flushed a bright cherry shade. Her vectors fluttered at her sides as she attempted to take a step backward.

"Sakura…" He whispered in her ear as he draped his head over her shoulder.

She pursed her lips closed as his raven hair brushed the side of her cheek. Was this a farce? Was the disdainful Uchiha really exposing his vulnerabilities to her? She narrowed her eyes in disbelief and pressed her fingernails into the palm of her hand.

"Please forgive me…for everything…"

The digits of her fingers uncurled and dangled at her sides. He pulled her closer to his chest and tightened his hold of her lower back and hair. Despite the thickness of her cloak segregating them from more intimate contact, she felt the metronomic beating within his chest. She lifted her arms returning the comforting embrace. Her vectors simultaneously wrapped around his body resting lightly against his back and shoulders reinforcing her demonstrative hug. He slightly shifted his weight as if he were to meld with her body. Sakura closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly. She exhaled deeply releasing the accumulation of hurt and despair sweltering within the depths of her heart into the chilly night air. Her chest seemed to relax as the burden of her emotional anguish intermingled with the cold breeze as a streamline of warm vapor. She buried her chin on his shoulder shaking loose a single tear from the base of her eye. The sole droplet descended to his shoulder and trailed down the labyrinth of folds lining his grey high collared shirt.

* * *

"What are you doing?" The Uchiha followed her through the thick undergrowth of the woods.

She molded a small portion of clay into a humanoid shape and dropped it into a visible sector of grass. She continued to mold tiny pinches of clay into hearts, circles, and stars. Sasuke watched in confusion as she scattered the pieces in the earth.

"Why do you have me mask my chakra signature if you're revealing our tracks?" Sasuke frowned as he inspected the tiny clay figures.

"_It_ _is merely a faster means of reaching the Amegakure border_." Sakura responded in a hushed tone of voice.

"How so?"

The Diclonius remained silent as she continued pressing forward. Sasuke increased his strides to catch up to her.

"_How did you escape the wood user's surveillance?_"

"I used my sharingan on him. That sleep deprived idiot cannot distinguish the difference between genjutsu and reality." Sasuke answered.

"_Hmph. Typical_…"

He pondered why Sakura continued to speak to him in that cold, pneumatic tone of voice instead of reverting to her original personality. Was she trying to keep something hidden from him? Sakura had never been the secretive type and he certainly wasn't expecting this persona to be very candid with him. She suddenly shrieked as a breakneck dart lodged itself into the back of her neck. She staggered gawkily and buckled to her knees.

Sasuke leapt sideways as two albino serpents emerged from the earth and intertwined around the Diclonius' body.

"I was expecting to encounter two Uchihas but instead I found one and something better." A hooded shinobi spoke. He possessed pasty white scaled skin and a pair of glasses which masked his eyes beneath the glare.

Sakura's loud screams startled the birds roosting within the canopies. The thunderous sound of flapping wings interrupted the silence between the intruder and the two shinobi.

"Kabuto…you absorbed Orochimaru's powers as well…" Sasuke glared at the serpentine shinobi.

"I've become something much more…a new 'me' which is even greater than Orochimaru." Kabuto licked his lips subtly.

Sakura's screams drowned out their exchange of dialogue. Kabuto stabbed her in the throat with a syringe filled with clear fluid. The Diclonius' screams quickly dampened as she began to hyperventilate briskly.

"What did you do to her?" Sasuke demanded as he drew his katana.

"I simply injected her with pain-inducing drugs to curb those powers of hers. Then I paralyzed her larynx so I can make you an offer in which you can't refuse."

"An offer…?"

"Yes, Sasuke-kun. I've harnessed the power of resurrection and revival. I can revive your mother, your father…your entire clan. The Uchiha will once again walk the earth and live the lives they were so unjustly deprived of."

The Uchiha locked his gaze on his former mentor's apprentice. "And what are your conditions?"

"All I ask is for your cooperation. Disarm yourself and unhand the Diclonius."

Sasuke brooded to himself and glanced at the hyperventilating Sakura. Her chest heaved rapidly beneath the serpentine restraints. He turned his head back toward Kabuto and released his grip from the handle of his blade. Sakura struggled to force a gasp as the steel blade landed on the ground with a loud clang.

* * *

A/N: Yay finals are over! Sorry for the late update. Forgive me! XD


	29. Deity

The serpentine man's cat-like pupils shifted toward the Diclonius. He rubbed his hands together as Sasuke carefully observed his movements.

"I managed to gain possession of your mother's corpse." Kabuto pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with the tip of his index finger. "So your existence isn't purely coincidental. Your mother eliminated her horns and dyed her hair with henna. She was simply just a cheater."

He gave a slight laugh as the Diclonius did not gaze at him in utter bewilderment. He raised the volume of his voice hoping to incite an expressive reaction from her. "I also received the opportunity to play around with your mother's corpse and unravel some interesting findings regarding the Diclonius race."

Sasuke furrowed his brow as Kabuto's tone of voice ascended in fascination.

"I attempted to use Edo Tensei and resurrect her but my efforts were fruitless due to the fact that a Diclonius body is highly incompatible with chakra. Unfortunately, her corpse was greatly damaged by my use of chakra. I harvested her gametes and planned to clone her manually but…without the utilization of chakra the cloning procedure takes several years to produce a viable clone. But now I have exactly what I need…a rare hybrid Diclonius."

The Uchiha interrupted Kabuto as he began to grow impatient. "And how exactly do you plan to resurrect the Uchiha clan?"

"Ah, Sasuke-kun." The serpentine medic-nin's voice took on an airy undertone. "I have perfected the Edo Tensei far beyond the skills of its creator, the Nidaime, and Orochimaru as well. I can bring forth an army of even the most power shinobi who have ever lived. They will retain their personalities, memories, abilities, and any unique feature they possessed over the course of their lifetime. Your clan will be exactly as how you remembered it in your childhood."

Sasuke watched Kabuto take a step closer to the hyperventilating Diclonius constricted by the twin albino snakes. He grasped a lock of her pink hair within her fingers and smirked. "The Diclonius species is quite astounding…Did you know the Diclonii possess far greater levels of estrogen than the human female? This causes them to have higher concentrations of pheomelanin which gives them that distinct pink hair color. Their powers also seem to wax and wane in correlation to the circadian rhythms observed from the pineal gland. These findings have prompted me to expand both my knowledge and abilities…"

Kabuto released her hair from his fingers as she gave a slight whimper. His snakes edged closer toward her throat and parted their jaws exposing their elongated fangs. "I can make her stronger and faster…I can create enhanced replicas of her and manipulate them to my own will…"

Sakura whimpered louder as his fervor increased the volume of his voice. Kabuto began to laugh softly as he scrutinized the bulging veins running parallel to her neck. "I will create an army of the most powerful shinobi and Diclonii clones and demonstrate my mastery of forbidden jutsus!"

The Uchiha smirked subtly as Kabuto brushed her linear vein with the pad of his scaly thumb. Sasuke grasped his wrist and concentrated chakra to the palm of his hand. He slowly sauntered toward the medic-nin deeply engrossed in his tirade. "How exactly do you resurrect the dead?"

"First I require DNA from the subject in order to…"

"BASTARD!"

Kabuto leapt laterally as a black, yellow, and red object rapidly descended upon Sasuke. The hooded man raised his hands defensively and constricted the Diclonius tighter within his serpentine restrainers. A large plume of dust and debris clouded his view as he attempted to escape with his prized experiment. A hooked blade suddenly slashed the duo albino snakes liberating Sakura from his captivity. A cloaked figure seized her in his arms although he was not much taller than her.

"Sasori…" Kabuto murmured as the dust plume began to dissipate.

The red haired Akatsuki glanced down at the Diclonius hyperventilating in his hold. "What did you do to her?"

"Goddamn Uchiha…" Deidara wiped the saliva from his chin. "How dare you hurt our cat! And what the hell is this about?"

The blonde bomber raised a handful of Sakura's miniature clay figures. "I'll kill you for mocking my art, yeah!"

Sasuke hastily retrieved his sword and brandished the blade before Deidara.

"You were once my pawn if I recall. But I assume your loyalty truly lied with that snake sannin…" He examined the medic-nin's transformed appearance and nodded. "But now you possess the abilities and appearance of your former master…"

"It must've been you." Kabuto hissed scathingly. "You were aware of the location of Orochimaru's laboratory. You stole the Diclonius."

Sasori simply gave a boyish smile but said nothing. Deidara nodded in response to Sasori's hand gesture. He handed Sakura's body to the blonde and summoned his favorite quadruped puppet. "Take Koneko to safety. I'll deal with them quickly. I won't keep you waiting."

"Hmph. I can't let you have all the fun. I want to be the one to take out the Uchiha." Deidara flashed his comrade a childish scowl.

"Just get going already."

"I won't let you take Sakura!" Sasuke lunged for the blonde Akatsuki. He easily evaded the long blade and leapt backward onto a large clay bird. He gently laid Sakura down on the massive clay bird and grasped the handful of her tiny clay figures.

"Take back your abominations of art, yeah!" He hurled the tiny clay pieces at the Uchiha. The bird instantly ascended as the pieces detonated. Sakura covered her eyes with her hand as the uncomfortable heat seemed to sear the surface of her face.

Despite the flames and debris obscuring the landscape, he kept his eye on the clay bird ascending into the sky. Using the cover of the dust and debris, he slipped through the overgrowth and trailed behind the airborne clay vessel.

"…Ita…" Sakura wheezed to the blonde.

He cocked a single eyebrow and pressed his ear closer to her lips.

"Ita…"

"Itai? Are you in pain?" He scratched his scalp in bewilderment. "I don't have any skills with medical jutsu…I guess Sasori is the one for that."

"Ita…!" Her voice whistled as she struggled to vocalize the third syllable.

"What's wrong with you anyway, yeah?"

She prodded her throat with her finger and flashed him an anticipatory glance.

"What? Did that snake bastard do something to you?"

She replied with a simple nod.

"Heh. Don't worry, Koneko. Sasori will kill them both."

Sakura suddenly shook her head frantically causing Deidara to contort his face in utter mystification.

"No what? I don't know what you're trying to tell me, yeah!" He sighed as her large jade orbs gazed at him expectantly. He couldn't decipher her wheezy gasps but something seemed to have her evidently apprehensive. "That little house was surrounded by black flames last time I checked. It's probably been burned down by now. Let's head to the base. Maybe I'll just keep you in my room until we find you a new place to stay."

He lowered his tone of voice as a hint of rosiness crept to his cheeks. "I was kinda worried about…um…well you went missing and I was starting to get bored…I was ready to start scattering Pocky on the ground to lead you back home…"

He fidgeted with his sleeves and lowered his gaze. "…I didn't want anything to happen to my…muse…yeah…"

Deidara glanced upward as the wind blew her hair across her face in a wild frenzy of pink strands veiling her eyes. He widened his cobalt eyes as the corner of her mouth drew into an upward arc. He withdrew his hands from his sleeves and smirked delicately. "Next time we're putting a collar on you…with a bell."

He gave a slight grunt as she gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Deidara inquired as he sat her down on a bed.

"My throat is still in a bit of pain. Is there any water around?" Sakura massaged her throat with two fingers.

"Ugh…I'll be right back." Deidara departed the unfamiliar bedroom.

She panned her eyes across the room inspecting the furnishings adorned with the same black and red pattern on the Akatsuki cloaks. It was raining outside wherever the blonde had taken her. He had previously mentioned that he never liked to stay in the village since it seemed to be shrouded in such gloomy weather. She rose to her feet as her cranium throbbed in immense pain. She felt an eerie presence seem to emanate from something below the room.

"No…It's here…" She exited the bedroom and ventured downstairs.

Although the unfamiliar complex seemed to be vacant, she felt as though an inhuman creature was roaming the basement below. Despite her usual vigilant behavior, she continued to descend down to the basement toward the origin of the strange aura. Although she had no knowledge of her location, part of her recognized the foul presence drawing her further down into the basement. A man with short, bright orange hair raised his hands in the air as a massive statue of an ominous looking creature slowly drew erect. The strange humanoid statue sat cross-legged and possessed restraints binding its wrists together. Sakura clutched her skull and dropped to her knees as the man finished his summoning jutsu.

A blue haired woman snapped her head back toward Sakura. "Nagato! We have an intruder!"

Sakura released her grip on her skull. The orange haired man with bizarre ripple-patterned eyes glanced down at her menacingly.

"Who are you?" Sakura breathed as she tried to avoid staring boorishly at his peculiar piercings.

"I am Pein. I am God!"


	30. Gravidity

The orange-masked Akatsuki stood on the balcony overlooking the rainy industrialized village. He clasped his hands together and continued peering upon the village as he was approached by a cloaked individual.

"I had a feeling you would drop by, Itachi." Madara stated as he rubbed his hands together.

Itachi glared at Madara's back and said nothing.

"It would be highly unwise to seek a confrontation in your current state." Madara fiddled with the loop of a kunai.

"I am well aware of that fact and I did not come to fight." Itachi watched him rotate the kunai around his finger. "I came here to negotiate."

"Negotiate?" He gave a slight laugh. "I've known about your treacheries and goals to protect the Leaf from within the organization for quite some time. What reason do I have to negotiate with you?"

"Leave my brother and Sakura out of your affairs." His voice edged close to a low growl.

"Hmm…I could care less about that unstable little brat you treasure so dearly. He is far too obtuse to be of any use to me but the Diclonius is strictly mine."

"If you continue to exploit Sakura you will face the consequences. Members of the organization merely seek to advance their own personal goals. They do not pledge allegiance to you...and the success of your plans subsists solely on their collaborative efforts."

"I've already figured the other members have been slacking on their duties when I infiltrated that house on the border. Instead of capturing the bijuu, they were loafing around with the Diclonius. Was this another one of your ingenious schemes to delay the fruition of my plans? If I weren't in such a good mood I would snap that defiant neck of yours."

Itachi furrowed his brow and glared at his former mentor playfully twirling the kunai around his long fingers. "Your plan is beset with flaws. Your injudicious vision will never occur."

Madara halted the motion of the kunai and traced his finger along the length of the blade. He smirked beneath the cover of the mask. The tone of his voice seemed to ascend in a jovial manner. "You greatly underestimate me, Itachi. Try as you may to hinder with my goals and defy me but I am always two steps ahead of you. If I were to simply kill you now, then I could never share my joy with you."

"Your joy…?" Itachi repeated as an uncomfortable knot constricted the muscles of his abdomen.

* * *

"God…?" Sakura traced her lips delicately around the sound of the word. So this was Pein? Leader of the Akatsuki. The mastermind the other Akatsuki members often spoke and complained of.

"How did you get through the barrier without detection?" The man widened his creepy circular eyes.

"…I don't know…" Her voice seemed to inadvertently shrink in volume.

The blue haired woman sauntered up beside the man and scrutinized the headband of the pinkette kneeling on the ground. "She's a Leaf kunoichi."

"Your village, Konohagakure, is the one responsible for my pains…but the pain and suffering I have experienced throughout my life has enabled me to transcend beyond a mere human and instate me as a deity. But you are merely a pawn of the vicious cycle of hate brewing in this world. You believe you are doing good for your village by infiltrating our base and trying to act as a heroine. However, all you are doing is fueling the inevitable cycle of hate and suffering perpetrated by your own people."

Sakura blinked forcefully as he pulled out an onyx colored blade from the depths of his long sleeves.

"Your journey of espionage ends here, Leaf Kunoichi. Those who do not understand true pain cannot understand true peace!"

She raised her hands in the air defensively as the onyx blade descended upon her. Konan emitted a loud gasp as a fragment of the blade flung through the air and ricocheted back toward the Akatsuki duo. Sakura rose to her feet and concentrated chakra to the knuckles of her fist. Konan took a step forward confronting the horned girl.

"I'll take care of her, Nagato." Konan nodded as she summoned additional clones.

"Shannaro!" Sakura drove her fist into the ground tearing up the earth and cement beneath her. She flung an array of kunai at one of the clones causing it to detonate and degrade into torn fragments of paper.

"Explosive paper clones…?" Sakura muttered to herself as the replicas of the blue haired woman darted toward her.

She continued hurling kunai at the clones detonating each individually. The Diclonius felt several individual pieces of paper wrap around her body. She summoned her vectors and frantically stripped herself free from her paper bindings. A sole vector extended from her back and grasped Konan's throat. She chucked the Akatsuki female straight toward the side of the wall. Konan's body dissipated in a flurry of blank white papers before she could impact the solid wall. Sakura closed her eyes to dampen her visual senses. The woman was bound to reappear somewhere and catch her by surprise. Her vectors followed the faint sound of crumpling papers emerging from behind her. Konan widened her amber eyes as a mysterious force grasped her body and shoved her to the ground. Sakura pinned the woman to the ground and repeatedly punched her body with her vectors. Konan groaned loudly as she couldn't escape from her invisible restraints or dodge the strange force walloping her body.

"Konan!" The orange haired man shouted as slash marks and bruises began to envelope her pale skin.

He examined the eerie translucent arms emerging from the horned girl's back. Was this the sacred technique of the Fire Temple monastery? Was she using the Welcoming Approach of the Thousand Armed Kannon? No…something about her wraithlike arms didn't resemble that particular ninjutsu. Pein called forth two additional men possessing the same bright-orange hair color and ripple patterned eyes. Sakura's body was suddenly tossed aside like a ragdoll as the first orange haired man raised his palm in the air. She staggered back to her feet and locked her eyes on the additional men. The longer haired man with the ponytail aided the battered Konan in slowly rising to her feet. She slung her arm around his shoulder and wiped the blood oozing from her forehead.

"What are you?" Pein edged closer to the Diclonius.

She impaled two vectors into the ground as he raised the palm of his hand once again. She struggled to resist the force of his gravitational jutsu and extended another pair of vectors toward his body. He clenched his teeth adding additional force to his jutsu causing her to slide backward. She strained to keep herself grounded while her vectors continued to push against him. He quickly shuffled forward and howled sending the Diclonius off her feet. She grasped Pein's shoulders and attempted to drag him along with her. He quickly recovered his balance and watched the petite girl's body slam up against the side of the wall. Sakura's loud screams echoed repeatedly against the walls of the underground basement. Before she could recover her composure, the spiky haired man hurled her body in the air and slammed her into the ground. Konan watched as her companion repetitively tossed the Diclonius' body carelessly causing her to scream and whine in agony.

"I want you to feel pain, accept pain, know pain…you are merely a child but even a misguided juvenile like you can mature and learn the truth once you experience pain and suffering!"

"I've had enough of your monotonous ideology…" Sakura rose to her feet.

A surge of dark red blood danced upward into the air. The Deva Path Pein toppled backward as an invisible force slashed him across the chest.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" The long-haired Pein roared as he pressed his hand into the earth.

A large, brown tri-headed dog emerged from the ground. It possessed the same circular patterned eyes as Pein and had the dark onyx colored piercing embedded in each of its muzzles. Sakura widened her eyes and slashed each of the heads in one swift motion. A loud growling noise caused the ground to weakly tremor. Six canine heads regenerated from the base of its stumpy neck. She concentrated chakra to the soles of her feet and scouted the basement for the exit. The other man summoned from the first Pein darted after her and grasped her petite body into an unmercifully tight bear hug. The Deva Path rose back to his feet and sauntered toward her despite his fatal chest wound. Although the Preta Path restrained her in an uncomfortably tight hold, Sakura felt a chilly sensation emanate from his body.

"He…he has no heat within his body…" She whispered to herself.

The man squeezed her tighter constricting her airflow and crushing her ribcage. She felt her chakra reserves quickly begin to deplete. Deva Path furrowed his brow as the girl's head suddenly fell limp.

"Her chakra…it's vanished before I could even drain it." He stared at her body and visually examined her chakra network using the acuity of his Rinnegan. "Her chakra has completely vanished but there's a small trace of _his_ chakra within her…is this some kind of farce?"

* * *

"Of course! I wanted you to be the first person to learn of the wonderful news!" Madara's voice adopted a derisively high pitch. "Do you know why the Diclonii are also called 'rabbits?'?"

"They possess a higher rate of fertility than humans." Itachi stated bluntly.

"Hn. Very good but it seems your knowledge of the Diclonius is limited to the scope of what I've told you about them." He pressed a finger to his chin. "The Diclonii have a shorter gestation period than humans and thus a shorter lifespan. They also rely on a higher rate of fecundity to maintain their numbers. Their powers correlate to the level of estrogen and hormones within their body. Interesting, huh?"

Itachi narrowed his dark eyes as Madara spun around and laughed. "Rabbit Hunting was the perfect opportunity to test the capabilities of the Mangekyou Sharingan. By using our eyes to kill one of the planet's most dangerous creatures, my brother and I were able to seize control of the Uchiha clan and conquer anything that came our way. But this outlandish Diclonius has defied the clan's most revered Kekkei Genkai and has proven to pose as the biggest flaw of my ultimate plan. But I've found a way to relinquish this fault. I visited her a while ago and was overjoyed by my discovery. My chakra had quickly settled within her body meaning implantation was successful. Even if she does not trust me she is forever bound to me."

Itachi felt his stomach tumble as Madara laughed softly to himself.

"Haruno Sakura should actually be thankful to me, but to my misfortune she is attached to you. But that doesn't really matter. There is no creature more ferocious than a gravid Diclonius. Now that she is pregnant her powers will reach its apex. She will be my goddess of destruction and I will be the god looking down upon this world. But with all the fun things aside…"

Itachi clenched his fists together as his red eyes glared daggers into the masked man. He gnashed his teeth vigorously. "Unforgivable…What you have done to Sakura is completely unforgivable!"

"Try whatever you please, Itachi. I hold no sympathy for the fool who perturbs a pregnant Diclonius…"

* * *

"_Shinde_!"

Konan and Deva Path leapt backwards as Preta Path suddenly exploded in a mess of flesh, blood, and bone. Sakura's skin and clothing was sodden in the cold dark red blood. She brushed a piece of fragmented tissue from her cheek and picked off a segment of intestine stuck to her skirt.

"Nagato!" Konan cried out as she noticed the pair of the newly elongated bone protruding from her scalp. "Her horns are longer!"

"What is she…?" Deva Path muttered to himself as he stood his ground.


	31. Samsara

"Nagato!" Konan cried out as both the longer haired Pein and multi-headed down erupted into mere fragments of blood and flesh.

She wiped the dripping blood from her long lashes and stepped backward as the pink haired horned creature slowly advanced on her. She could not see ominous being's eyes from beneath the crimson stained locks shadowing her face. This thing could not be human...Konan pondered to herself as she continued to retreat backward. Three additional men suddenly materialized before her. Two also possessed the same bright orange hair as the other Peins while the other was bald and had no ears. The Diclonius fixated her eyes on something beyond the four bodies of Pein standing before her.

"_Why_…?" Her airy voice spoke softly.

The four Peins crouched into a defensive position as she grasped her scalp and screamed loudly.

"_Why_ _do you keep helping it_?"

Deva path narrowed his circular eyes observing her peculiar behavior.

Sakura gazed at the massive stone towering beyond them. She massaged her scalp to alleviate her pulsating skull and hissed at her opponents. "_Why do you help that monster_?"

Sakura lowered her hand from her scalp and pointed her finger to the enormous figure behind the multiple Peins. They simultaneously followed the movement of her finger and glanced backward at the humanoid statue.

"That is the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. It is our weapon to attain peace." Deva Path explained.

"…_Weapon_?" Her voice echoed delicately.

"By collecting the bijuu we can unite their chakra into one immense power using the statue. The beasts will be used to create a powerful Kinjutsu capable of obliterating a nation. This power will leave nothing but death and destruction in its wake and it will force the great nations to learn the true meaning of pain. Consequently, the nations will mature and cease war out of sheer fear. This is how the world will embrace peace!"

The Diclonius seemed almost apathetic to the escalating fervor in the man's voice. She turned her head and merely scoffed in response. "_Stupid humans_…"

Deva Path raised his arms in the air and roared loudly. "I have transcended humanity. I am God!"

"_Shut up_." Her pneumatic voice hissed again. "_How can you claim to call yourself a god when you are completely oblivious to the consequences of your own actions and aspirations? You are nothing more than a pawn to your own misinformed ideology! All you are doing is helping the Cyclops break free from its stone enclosure and enabling it to enslave the world. By feeding the chakra of the bijuu to that statue, you are piecing back together fragments of the monster that was divided centuries ago_."

"I believe you are the one who is confused and misinformed." Deva Path retorted as he took a single step misaligning himself with the other bodies.

"_Humans are simply ignorant and selfish…you overlook the welfare of the other creatures on this planet simply for the satisfaction of your own personal goals. The revival of that monster will not only bring destruction and despair to the humans but to all other living beings on this planet as well_."

"Hmph." Pein muttered dismissively. "You have a superficial understanding of things since you have never comprehended the pain in your life. Hidan and Kakuzu should be arriving soon with another jinchuuriki. In the meantime, I will eliminate you!"

Sakura unleashed almost an infinite array of vectors as the four men lunged for her. "_We cannot allow that monster to have what it wants! This world does not belong solely to you!_"

Deva Path widened his ripple patterned eyes as the massive quantity of ethereal arms seemed to extend and scatter chaotically. Three of the Peins fell back to protect the statue from the wrath of the translucent arms. The men instantly split from their torsos and burst into a gory mess of blood, flesh, and bone. The vectors crashed through the solid stone statue and penetrated beyond to the walls of the hideout. Konan gasped as the entire infrastructure of the Akatsuki base began to rattle violently. The vectors seemed to disperse randomly and penetrate through the walls and ceiling of the underground basement.

Itachi and Madara glanced at the floor as the ethereal arms seemed to stretch upward from below their location. Itachi leapt away from the outstretched vectors rising from the ground and formed a series of hand signs as the entire building began to tremor vigorously.

"Ah, it seems the Rabbit has followed you here." Madara smirked before disappearing in a vortex of distorted color.

Subsequently, Itachi's body dissipated in a flurry of raven feathers in response to the violent quaking.

* * *

"Ugh…" The green beady eyed Akatsuki raised his hand as the duo entered the industrialized village dragging an unconscious brunette behind them. The dark green ring around his left middle finger suddenly snapped in two portions and descended to the earth. "Damn cheap ring just broke…"

"Eh, mine too." Hidan cupped the fragments of an orange ring.

"Look at that…" Kakuzu pointed to a plume of smoke arising from the core of the village. A pale white figure seemed to circle the plume of smoke repetitively.

"That fucking idiot, Deidara, must've blown something up again. Can't he cure his boredom some other way?"

Kakuzu sighed forcefully and pushed ahead towing the body of a young chocolate haired man.

There was nothing visible in view…only darkness and the thick grainy dust and debris accumulating within his nostrils. He struggled to crawl using only his arms and torso but his heavy mechanical walker hindered any effort of movement. He wanted to call her name but it was useless. She wouldn't be able to hear him from underneath the debris. Something was penetrating his skin directly below his collarbone. He closed his dust ridden eyes and exhaled in despair. He heard the shuffle of wood and metal nearby. A bright light illuminated his eyelids as something lifted the fallen wooden planks and steel pillars burying his entire body in a casket of devastation. He lifted his eyelids slowly as he was slowly engulfed in light. A pair of non corporeal arms grasped him from beneath the armpits and cautiously pulled him free from the confinement of his mechanical walker. The long horned pinkette tossed aside a wooden plank and squatted down in front of him. Her bangs covered her eyes in the same way he had hidden behind the security of his hair as a child.

He lifted his head and spat. "Have you come to finally kill me?"

Her bright jade eyes radiated from beneath the shadow cast over her face. "Who are you?"

"I am Nagato…I am the real Pein."

She kneeled down beside him and rested his head on her lap. His deep red hair draped around his skill covering the pale skin of her thighs. "I have never been defeated…are you goddess or demon?"

Her vector clutched onto the fragment of pipe lodged beneath his collarbone. She placed her hands around the base of his collarbone. "I am neither. I am simply just Haruno Sakura…a Diclonius."

Diclonius…where had he heard that word before…

_The Diclonius will undoubtedly jeopardize your vision of peace if she is not returned to me_. The snake sannin's icy words reverberated in his mind.

So this was what Orochimaru had been seeking when he abrasively intruded upon Amegakure grounds. That goddamn serpent was correct. That weird creature had destroyed the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path completely obliterating his means of attaining peace and devastated the Akatsuki base. Now she had come to finally finish him off and lay him to rest.

"Please try not to move…" She whispered as she placed pressure on the base of his collarbone.

He gnashed his teeth in agony as her vector swiftly yanked out the steel pipe embedded within his hide. A green glow emanated from the palms of his hand. He closed his eyes as the soothingly warm light dispersed from the point of contact from her hands and relayed down to every limb of his body.

"Why? Why are you healing me?" He struggled to lift his arm. "I am your opponent!"

Sakura hushed him and smiled serenely. "All I see is a frail, emaciated man in desperate need of medical attention."

He opened his eyelids fixating his eyes on her vibrant jade orbs.

"Although part of me inherently seeks to maim and kill…there is a powerful instinct deep within my core that triumphs my inner voice...the innate desire to love and nurture. That is the true essence of a Diclonius…the true essence of who I am. I never came here to spy or threaten this village. I only came here to save the one I cherish…Uchiha Itachi…"

She began to hum softly while she mended his wounds. Nagato said nothing as her melodic voice seemed to draw him beneath a wave of tranquility. He had made a terrible mistake. What if the Diclonius' words were right about the true purpose of the statue? If so, then he merely was a pawn. Perhaps that man had lied to him and exploited Yahiko and his beliefs? Had he exploited this girl's body as well? What was he planning? He drowned out his own thoughts as he listened to the enchanting tune emitting from her plump lips. He stretched his arm upward and rested his hand on her stomach. His visual senses were flooded with images of a dark red haired woman. She cradled him in her loving arms and gazed down at him with an indescribable compassion in her gentle eyes. Her lips opened as she hummed him a lullaby to quell his fears of the stormy weather which had always loomed over the village. The red haired woman's physical features began to fade although the image of her lips lingered. The pale skin, jade eyes, and pink hair of the Diclonius began to appear around the lingering image of his mother's lips. Her humming slowly died down as she removed her hands from his withered skin.

"Nagato!" Konan rushed over toward his side. She glared at Sakura and positioned her hands in an attempt to form a seal.

"It's alright, Konan." Nagato said as Sakura rose to her feet. Konan collapsed to her knees and embraced the frail man.

Sakura pivoted on her feet and turned away. She slowly began to saunter off as Konan and Nagato watched. Nagato widened his eyes as he noticed the circular symbol on the back of her red top.

"The circle is said to represent eternity, unity, wholeness. It represents the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth…" He gave a faint smile watching the girl's body begin to shrink from the growing distance between them. "…but it is also the symbol of the Sacred Female."

* * *

A/N: Ever notice that if you put the Haruno and Uchiha symbols together and orient them the right way it's kinda well…suggestive? Don't know if it's Kishimoto's subtle innuendo or if I need to dig my mind outta the gutter…XD


	32. Panacea

A/N: I hope you guys have been enjoying your winter break! Now back to the story. ^^'

* * *

Itachi widened his eyes as the red ring around his finger broke apart. Madara folded his arms and muttered to himself. "The statue…it must be…"

The masked man leapt sideways as a translucent fist crashed down on his previous location. He effortlessly evaded the numerous streams of ethereal hand reaching out for his body.

"…destroyed…" He finished his sentence and gazed at the wrathful being standing behind Itachi.

Her horns had elongated since he had last seen the Diclonius. He smirked beneath the mask and tilted his head mockingly. "You truly look like a rabbit."

Itachi glanced back at the pinkette and brandished his hand. "Leave, Sakura. You have no reason to be here."

"He's right you know. You shouldn't put yourself in danger considering the condition you're in." Madara wagged his finger. "Besides, you shouldn't attack the father of your child."

To his slight dismay, the Diclonius seemed unresponsive. She ambled toward him in a mechanical manner which seemed to baffle both Uchiha. Itachi bit his lip as she boldly stood face to face with the man who had raped and tortured her. Her eyes seemed to be dreary and ridden with exhaustion. Madara carefully observed her expression in order to detect her attacks. Her chakra was still present indicating her default personality was currently in control. He was well aware that her dominant personality did not possess the same prowess with vectors as her id persona. He could easily evade her vectors even at close range if she were planning to attack him once again.

"It's gone…" Sakura said airily. "…The vessel of that monster…it's gone now."

Madara suddenly clenched his hands into fists. "The statue…why didn't Pein protect it?"

"I defeated Pein and destroyed it. That monster will never be resurrected again."

Madara's fists began to tremble violently. He suddenly broke into a boisterous laughter. "You destroyed it? You think you can stop the resurrection of the Juubi simply by destroying the statue? Well you're mistaken…"

Sakura glanced back to Itachi as Madara continued his loud laughter. "The statue was never used to store the power of the bijuu. It was used to transfer the power of the bijuu into me!"

The color quickly drained from the apples of Itachi's cheeks. Was that the true purpose of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path? Was Madara's truly intending to become the jinchuuriki of the Juubi? He mentally cursed to himself. It was foolish to fight Madara in his current condition but it was impossible to consider engaging in battle now that Madara possessed the powers of the captured bijuu. Itachi widened his eyes as a doppelganger of the Diclonius appeared behind Madara preparing to shred him apart with her vectors. He observed the astonishment in Itachi's eyes and formed a quick series of hand signs. The clone disappeared in a puff smoke as Sakura was blinded by a bright flash of red light. She staggered clumsily as if she had been intoxicated. She blinked repeatedly in a frantic effort to clear her vision.

"Sakura…" Itachi grabbed her arm holding her upright. Blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.

"Itachi? What just happened?" Sakura struggled to maintain her own balance.

"I tried to protect you from Madara's jutsu by taking it on in your stead…but…" He violently coughed up blood into the palm of his hand. "Please escape, Sakura…I can't allow him to hurt you…"

"No…" Sakura stated defiantly. "I can't allow you to shoulder the burden and fight Madara on your own."

"I don't have much time left…" He pulled her into his chest. Tears streamed from her eyes as she buried her forehead against his chest. "I can't let Madara have you."

"Sakura, don't listen to him! He is deceiving you!" Madara hissed loudly.

Itachi brushed her bangs away from her large brow and pressed his lips against hers. She tilted her head sideways embracing his gentle kiss while Madara fumingly watched. He separated his lips from hers and began to cough once again. He slowly closed his eyes as his hand stroked Sakura's cheek. She began to tremble violently as the compassionate Uchiha fell limply to the ground. She seized her head and screamed loudly as her vectors suddenly ascended into the air. Blood streamed from the creases of her eyes down her round, plump cheeks. Countless vectors streamed from her back as she locked her eyes on the masked man keeping his distance from the enraged Diclonius.

"_I_ _will never forgive you, Uchiha Madara_…"

Madara took a step backward as if intimidated by the girl's emotional outburst.

"Sakura, don't do this." Madara pleaded. He glanced at Itachi lying on the ground behind her. A devious smirk played on the downed Uchiha's face.

"_Shinde!_"

Madara gasped as the array of vectors descended upon him. His hands clumsily struggled to accurately form a series of hand signs as the wraithlike hands edged closer to him. "Forgive me, Sakura…"

The vectors suddenly vanished before he could complete his jutsu. She collapsed to all fours and violently heaved up blood. Madara furrowed his brow in utter bewilderment. Blood seeped from her eyes, nostrils, mouth, and down the sides of her neck from her ears. He took a step closer toward the bleeding Diclonius. Two translucent fingers suddenly brushed the folds of his eyelids. A cold bead of sweat trailed from Madara's brow to his jaw.

"For betraying me and using my organization against my wishes…let's say you shall pay the price with your eyes." Itachi smiled patting the girl on the head. "Death would simply be too generous for you. Right 'Madara?'"

Madara's chest heaved rapidly as a scorching heat seemed to overcome his cranium. He stared Sakura in her glazed jade eyes and forced a shallow sigh from his lips.

_Let me in_. Itachi's voice echoed in her mind. _Please trust in me_.

Sakura buried her face in her hands as his voice continued to speak within her mind.

"Don't let him fool you, Sakura." Itachi said harshly.

_That isn't me, Sakura. Please let me in and let me dispel his genjutsu_. Itachi spoke again. _Open your eyes_.

She lifted her head from her hands and gazed at the masked Akatsuki. The pattern of Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan suddenly illuminated from the hole in the right side of the mask. Sakura was engulfed in a shroud of boundless darkness. She smiled as she reached out and touched the smooth surface of his face instead of the orange mask she saw before her.

"Itachi…" Her lips parted open as she inhaled serenely.

"Hmph." Madara withdrew a blade from the sleeve of his Akatsuki cloak. "You're no fun, Itachi."

Itachi shoved Sakura's tiny body aside. He sidestepped swiftly and parried Madara's blade with a kunai.

"Why do you even bother?" Madara said derisively. "You're well aware you lack the stamina to hold your own against me."

"Nii-san!" A distant voice called out.

Sakura snapped her head in the direction of the voice. Itachi's eyes quickly flickered toward his younger sibling's direction then back to his opponent. Madara thrust his blade against Itachi and leapt backward disengaging in his offense for a moment.

"Well, it seems we are joined by the 'Avenger.'" Madara gave a slight laugh as he noticed the sudden stolidity overcome the girl's face.

"Uchiha Madara…" The youngest Uchiha uttered grimly.

"_Traitor_…" Sakura's voice suddenly hissed as she glared at the raven haired boy. "_You deceived us yet again…_"

"Ohoho…" Madara lowered his blade and wagged his finger. "Don't you know better than to get on the bad side of a Dicloinius, Sasuke? Especially a _pregnant_ one?"

The pinkette flashed the masked man a venomous scowl and turned her attention back to Sasuke.

"What's going on here?" Sasuke's eyes flickered from Itachi to Madara.

Madara's voice suddenly adopted a higher pitch. "I'm gonna be a daddy!"

"_Stop talking_!"

"She's just having another one of her mood swings." Madara whispered as he pressed his hand against the side of his mask.

Sasuke curled his fingers at his sides. "Sakura…you…deceived my brother?"

"And it was great..." Madara added.

"_Urusai_!"

"Sakura did no such thing. Madara simply used her." Itachi said calmly despite Sakura's explosive outburst. "Please, take Sakura out of here and leave."

Sasuke shook his head defiantly. "I cannot allow you to relinquish your life."

"Yes stay, Sasuke. Then I can get rid of you both in one clean sweep." Madara cupped a ball of black and white chakra within his hands.

Itachi widened his eyes as he recognized the rotating black and white chakra forming within his hands. "The…Tailed Beast Ball…"

"_Itachi_!" Sakura screamed vociferously. He boldly stood stock still in the direct path of Madara's jutsu.

"You are so predictable." Madara laughed as he released the ominous ball of chakra.

The projectile force of the intermingled chakra shot straight for the stationary Uchiha. Sakura and Sasuke watched helplessly as Itachi stood before them. A fiery red chakra began to assume the shape of a yamabushi wielding a sword and mirror. It enveloped the Uchiha like a protective coat of armor and blocked the projectile attack using the mirror as a shield. The black and white chakra beam finally dissipated after the humanoid chakra creature delivered a vigorous shove against the shield.

Madara smiled as he reformulated the mixture of black and white chakra once again. "How long do you think you can last, Itachi?"

He fired again shoving both Itachi and the humanoid creature backward as the magnitude of his jutsu seemed to double in strength. The armor around the creature began to dissipate as Itachi heaved up blood. The yamabushi began to lose both its form and strength in its attempt to hold back the monstrous beam of intermingled chakra.

"Itachi!" Sasuke cried out as Madara's jutsu edged closer to engulfing both Susanoo and his brother.

Itachi grunted as an additional force suddenly added pressure against the back of the mirror of Susanoo. Madara gave a slight laugh upon gazing at Itachi's surprise. A stream of non corporeal hands grasped the mirror within the left hand of Susanoo. The hands aided in holding the shield and eased the strenuous burden of withstanding Madara's powerful jutsu.

"_It's our turn…Let us shoulder the burden_…" Itachi glanced back at the smiling Diclonius standing behind him.

Both Itachi and Sakura simultaneously took a step forward pushing back the projectile chakra. Madara grit his teeth as Susanoo advanced closer toward him. He proceeded to add additional chakra to his attack in an effort to cease their advancement.

"Damn…" Madara spat as his efforts to overpower the Susanoo seemed fruitless.

An additional array of vectors expanded beyond the mirror toward Madara. He mentally cursed to himself as he had become trapped into tangibility by his own jutsu.

"_This is it for you_…"

The monstrous projectile jutsu vanished as the masked Akatsuki erupted in a mess of flesh and blood. The chakra yamabushi immediately vanished as Itachi collapsed to his knees and fell limply to the ground. He rolled onto his back and continued coughing up blood. Sakura wasted no time rushing to his side. She rapidly pressed her hands against his chest and conjured her Mystical Palm healing technique.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke dropped down beside Sakura as she frantically pushed chakra into his system.

Sakura's pulse began to throb within her skull. Itachi's heartbeat was quickly fading despite her efforts to heal his weakened body.

"It's useless." Madara's voice spoke behind her. "You cannot resuscitate him."

Sasuke wrenched his head toward the voice. "Impossible! How did you survive?"

Sakura struggled to ignore Madara while she continued her attempt to save Itachi's dwindling life. Tears dripped onto the unresponsive Uchiha's face. Her chest trembled with each forced breath she took as she struggled to curb her own tears.

Madara slowly removed his mask revealing his withered face and a single open Sharingan eye. "Izanagi. It is a forbidden jutsu used to manipulate one's state of existence at the cost of an eye. This is not the first time I've had to cast this jutsu because of her vectors. Don't worry. You won't be getting rid of me anytime soon. I am always two steps ahead of anything you plan."

"No…no…no…" Sakura whimpered loudly.

"You should be happy, Sakura. You wouldn't want your child to grow up without a father, now would you?"

"Sakura, you're not doing enough!" Sasuke shouted as she began to cry more than heal.

"Just give up, Sakura."

"Hurry! He's not going to make it!"

"You can't save everyone."

_Stop listening to them and listen to me_. Her inner voice drowned out the external world. _If we work together there may be a chance he survives. Let me use our vectors to piece together his damaged cells and you use 'that' chakra to regenerate new cell growth. _

Sakura smiled and grasped the hand of her other self. They both closed their eyes and each placed a hand on Itachi's chest.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" Madara narrowed his single eye as her vectors suddenly penetrated Itachi's chest.

Sakura simply closed her eyes and smiled at Madara.

_Os iusti meditabur sapientiam  
Et lingua eius loquetur iudicum_

"Sakura?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow as she began to sing softly.

_Beatus vir qui suffert tentantion__em  
Quoniam cum probates fuerit  
accipent coronam vitae_

Madara widened his eyes as the volume and passion of her voice began to ascend.

_Kyrie, ignis divine eleison_

"Stop it! I will not allow you to do this!" Madara took a step toward her.

Sasuke leapt in front of the aged Uchiha and withdrew his blade.

_O quam sancta, quam serena  
quam benigna  
quam amoena  
O castitatis Lilium_

She hummed loudly while Madara attempted to slash Sasuke with his own katana. Blood continued to seep from her facial orifices as her voice resonated on the high note. Madara shouted loudly although it did not break her from her melodic stupor.

"Stop! Are you trying to kill yourself?"

_Kyrie, ignis divine eleison_

She paused for a moment to take a breath as her body began to tremble.

_o quam sancta, quam serena  
quam benigna  
quam amoena  
O castitatis Lilium_

"Damn…It's too late…" Madara kicked Sasuke's body aside before reaching the Diclonius. He grasped her pink locks and forcefully yanked her head backwards. "Why? Why would you do something so outrageous just for him? Why does he deserve this? Why does he mean this much to you?"

Her glazed jade eyes met his intact crimson one. She gave him a lopsided smile still emitting a radiant serenity despite the oozing blood covering her pale skin. He swallowed forcefully as he fancied that obnoxious blue eyed Diclonius smiling back at him. "_Unlike you, Itachi isn't a complete monster…_"

Madara chuckled disdainfully to himself. "Again with this…?"

Sakura's body began to violently seize. The Uchihas watched helplessly as she violently convulsed and uttered a gurgled scream. She began to roll back and forth bruising her own extremities. Her eyes rolled backward toward the sockets while her jaw began to contract. Her chin dripped with blood diluted with saliva. Itachi suddenly sat up as her gurgled screams jolted him back into reality. The Diclonius' lengthened horns shed from her skull falling beside her. Her muscles and extremities quickly relaxed causing her entire body to fall limp.

"Sakura? Sakura!" Itachi cried out. He swayed slightly disoriented from his brief brush with death.

He felt her chest in search of a pulse but to no avail. He pressed his forehead against hers and stroked her bloodied cheeks. Sasuke and Madara watched as the Uchiha lamented over the Diclonius' lifeless body. Sasuke's arms quivered at his sides while he watched his older brother mourn the loss of the girl who had delivered him such happiness. Sasuke drooped his head and gazed away from the gloomy scene.

"Another mindless Haruno…" Madara scoffed.

"You…you…fucking bastard!" Sasuke clasped his hand over his sweltering eyes. He released his hand revealing a new star shaped pattern of his Sharingan.

Madara's body suddenly erupted into coal black flames. He hollered in agony as the flames quickly engulfed his entire body. His body began to vanish as if it had been converted ashes. A vortex swirled with his right eye as the epicenter.

"Try as you may but your efforts are useless! I am immortal!" He cackled as his torched body vanished among the vortex.

Sasuke grunted and clasped his hands over his pained eyes. He rubbed his eyes repetitively and glanced back to his brother cradling the lifeless Diclonius in his lap.


	33. Guidance

"Itachi? Itachi?"

"Where are you?"

"Where am I?"

"Can you hear me? Anyone?"

"You've returned…" A faint masculine voice answered.

"Itachi?" Sakura slowly rose to her feet. She was disoriented and apparently marooned in some unfamiliar forest.

"Please come closer." The man's voice spoke again.

Sakura curiously followed the voice. Her chest suddenly throbbed as the sultry voice guided her through foreign forest. She parted her lips open and inhaled deeply as she was wracked with ecstasy. She spotted the man standing cautiously behind the security of a large shrub. He sported the familiar Uchiha attire and silky raven hair tied back in a low ponytail. He had full, plump lips and wore a white blindfold over his eyes.

"I've been searching for long so you…" He wrapped his arms around Sakura and rubbed her horn with the pads of his fingers. "Finally…"

Sakura's cheeks flushed a bright shade of red. "Um…"

His hands traced the arc of her jaw and tilted her head. His lips pushed closer toward hers before she cried out. "Excuse me! Do I know you?"

"Sango?" He whispered.

"No…My name is Sakura."

"Another Diclonius!" He quickly separated from her and raised his hands defensively. "If you kill me, I will simply return here again the next day!"

Sakura tilted her head inquisitively. "Why would I kill you? It was a mistake. You're wearing a blindfold."

"I know you're seeking revenge but it's useless here. We're all trapped here for eternity."

"What? Trapped? Where am I?" Sakura scratched her cranium.

"I probably sent you here but it is useless to try to settle anything now. Even if I die, everything returns to the way it was the next day. Nothing changes in this world. This is the sentence I face for my sins. You Diclonii keep killing me over and over again but nothing is ever resolved. I have been trapped here in the eternal darkness for who knows how long now…but I cannot find my way out of this hellish world."

"You sent me here? Why me? Where is Itachi?"

His mouth curved downward into a frown. "Who?"

"Uchiha Itachi." Sakura answered.

He shook his head in response. "I'm afraid I don't know who that is."

Sakura forced a strained sigh.

"I apologize for my mistake. I heard your voice and mistook you for someone else." He sighed after her. "I no longer possess any eyes."

"Where are your eyes?"

"My brother has them." He answered bluntly. He suddenly gave a slight smirk. "I'm quite surprised I'm still speaking with you."

"Huh?" She contorted her face. "Well, anyway I'm going to continue looking for Itachi."

"You said he was an Uchiha. If you seek revenge on our clan it will…"

"I have no reason to seek revenge. I love Itachi…"

"What? You love an Uchiha? But…"

"Bloodlines have nothing to do with my emotions. Surnames play no role in my affection for others."

The man gave a weak smile. He pressed his hand against his mouth as if to veil his expression. "Hmph…I never wanted anyone to know but now that I'm forever confined to this world…I am searching for a Haruno…"

Sakura said nothing as he continued on.

"I simply saw the Diclonii as nothing more than pink haired monsters that I used to test the capabilities of the Mangekyou Sharingan. It was all just a game to me…until I met her…But…I…" He suddenly swallowed and paused for a moment. "Perhaps I can help you find the one you seek if you help me find the person I seek."

"How?" Sakura asked.

"You can locate the presence of other members of your species."

"I can?" Sakura raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"You didn't know?"

"I'm the only Diclonius I know of."

"Perhaps if we travel you may be able to locate her."

"I'll try, I guess." Sakura answered meekly. The Uchiha grasped her wrist and followed behind her as she traveled through the forest labyrinth.

She continued pressing through the forest while he lightly held onto her wrist for guidance.

"Thank you…" He said softly. He lowered his head in a humble manner. "I don't deserve your kindness."

Sakura paused in her tracks as she spotted a dilapidated complex in the distance. "There's someone down there…"

His hold of her wrist suddenly tensed. He recognized the charred scent of the atmosphere before them.

"Is something wrong?" Sakura attempted to amble forward but was hindered by his refusal to move forward. "Isn't this the Uchiha territory?"

Sakura's dynamic strength tugged him off his feet. She helped him ease down the hillside onto the dilapidated territory. The atmosphere smelt of charred wood and ash. She pointed to a barren tree with a crescent moon shaped trunk. "This is the Uchiha grounds! I recognize that weird looking tree!"

"No…" He turned his head away from the Diclonius.

A tattered crimson cloth fluttered before the two. Sakura trotted over to the cloth tumbling in the breeze and gathered it within her hand. She glanced down at the white circular pattern stitched into the red cloth. "This is…the Haruno…What happened here?"

He gasped in astonishment in response to her obliviousness. Perhaps she wasn't one of his victims. Sakura grasped his wrist and jogged toward a strange presence hiding beneath the security of a decrepit wooden crate. She overturned the crate revealing a short haired prepubescent Diclonius curled into an apprehensive position.

"Nee-sama! You scared me!" She gasped.

"Sorry." Sakura apologized bluntly. "Is this the one you're looking for?"

The Diclonius shoved Sakura to the ground as she spotted the Uchiha edging closer to them. "Hide Nee-sama! He's coming closer!"

"No. That's not her voice." The Uchiha answered.

"The Hawk has found us!" The Diclonius unleashed her vectors upon him. Sakura quickly grasped hold of her vectors with her own.

"Stop! He's not going to hurt you!" Sakura shouted as she pushed the girl backward.

"How can you say that? He is the one who killed Sanami-sama and the others! He's going to kill us too!"

"He's not going to do anything to us. Please trust me." The girl hid behind Sakura and grasped onto her red top for protection. "Everything will be alright."

"Please! I just want to find my younger sister, Sara-chan! We were hiding and I lost track of her."

"Sara?" Sakura widened her bright jade eyes. "You know Haruno Sara?"

"Of course! I'm her older sister, Sanae!" The girl cried out. "I just want to know if she's ok."

"Haruno Sara is my great-grandmother." Sakura smiled sweetly at the young girl.

The color suddenly drained from the blindfolded Uchiha's face. He traced his lips around the sound of the name. "…Haruno…Sara…?"

"Great-grandmother? Sara-chan had children?" Sanae's vivid emerald eyes lit up in utter bewilderment. "Are you sure it was Sara?"

"Sweet but kinda sassy personality? I'm pretty sure." Sakura grinned magnanimously.

Tears streamed from the young Diclonius' eyes. She clasped her hands together and spun in circles. "Sara-chan! So that's why I can't find you…you survived…and moved on beyond this spiteful universe…"

Sakura watched as the girl's body began to vanish.

"Thank you, Nee-sama…now that I know my sister is alright I can finally join her and fall to rest."

The girl quickly vanished before Sakura's eyes. She pressed her hands against her chest and tilted her head serenely. "So she was bound to this world because of her worries over her sister?"

The man did not answer. He lowered his head and bit down on his lip. "Haruno Sara…I was the one who tortured and manipulated her into killing the other Diclonii…I had no idea she survived…She suddenly disappeared from detection…I thought she committed suicide…"

Sakura studied his mouth as he chewed nervously on his lip.

"I had no idea you were the descendent of that little girl…I did such horrible things to that innocent little girl…I torched the Haruno grounds and allowed the Uchiha to expand into it…I simply did it for fun. I wanted to compete with my brother and show off my eyes. I've been trapped in this nightmare world only to relive the consequences of my actions for eternity. I've been surrounded by this darkness and shredded limb by limb each day by the wrathful Diclonii I've killed…but even the constant agony and helplessness can't compare to the worst this universe has to offer. This loneliness…the inability to be with the only one who doesn't despise me in this universe…I…I…"

Sakura caught him as his head suddenly collapsed against her chest. His entire body trembled within her hold.

"I apologize…I'm quite pathetic. I can't even cry without my eyes…" He forced a false smile. "I'm sorry for all the brutality I've caused your kind. Unfortunately, even the greatest jutsu cannot undo the damage I have done. Please forgive me…"

Sakura struggled to blink back tears. Her tears landed on his silky, raven hair which possessed the same texture as Itachi's.

"So the Hawk still has his soul." A pneumatic voice spoke. A blue-eyed Diclonius with coral pink hair approached the pair. Half of her hair had been tied into a high ponytail while the rest of her locks fluttered down her back.

"S-Sango?" The man lifted his head quickly.

"I see your horniness has not faded." She rolled her eyes playfully.

The Uchiha separated from Sakura and wrapped his arms around the elegant Diclonius.

"Izuna…" She breathed as she embraced the elated man. "You pathetic bastard…"

She touched her fingers to the off white blindfold covering his eyes.

"What happened to your eyes?" She pressed her cheek against his and raked her fingers through his ponytail.

Sakura stood motionless observing the Uchiha and Haruno exchange their affections. Sango turned her head toward her and smiled peacefully. "Hey Nee-sama! Thank you for helping out my horny bastard. I could never find him…and every time I did he was already dead. I thought I felt an unfamiliar presence enter this world. You're not from our time, are you?"

"I am also searching for an Uchiha I love. But I'm afraid I'm lost." Sakura answered.

Sango shoved the Uchiha's hands away as he fished for her bra hook. "For Kami's sake! Can't you wait a minute? She's still standing here watching us!"

"Um…" Sakura's cheeks reddened while Sango forced a heavy sigh.

"I apologize. He's been severely deprived…" Sango laughed nervously. "I'm afraid you're not going to find your Uchiha here."

"What?"

Sango and Izuna's bodies suddenly began to slowly vanish.

"You don't belong in this world…" She gave a sinister smile. She lowered her head casting a shadow over her piercing blue eyes.

Sakura widened her eyes as Sango's vectors suddenly penetrated her chest.

"Farewell, Nee-sama…"

Sakura screamed as the vectors ripped apart her torso.

* * *

Her eyelids flipped open only to view a blurred wall of white before her. She blinked multiple times to clear the haziness cast over her eyes. Her neck turned stiffly to the left to distinguish the strange weight on her hand. Another hand was gently grasping her own. Her eyes followed the hand up the arm and stopped at the face. Although he was asleep she did not dare disturb him. That stoic Uchiha did always look more handsome when he slept so peacefully.


	34. Lilium

"Sakura?" Itachi's eyes fluttered open.

"Itachi? What happened? Where am I?" Sakura rubbed her eyes.

"You died…" He answered bluntly. "We are currently back in Konoha."

"I died?"

"Yes." Itachi breathed softly. "When you healed me you used up your chakra entirely and tapped into the budding chakra of the embryo. Siphoning the embryonic chakra disintegrated the barrier segregating your cells from that of the embryo's. Your body resorbed the embryo initiating a hyper immune response from exposure to the paternal molecules. You then suffered an eclamptic seizure and died instantly."

Sakura widened her eyes as he continued on.

"Shortly after Madara departed, we were discovered by Nagato and Konan. Nagato was able to restore your life but he could not awaken you from a comatose state. I brought you back to Konoha and sought out Tsunade's medical expertise."

"How long was I in a coma?"

"Twenty-eight days…" Itachi stated. "Tsunade noted that you needed an immediate blood transfusion from the extensive blood you had lost. However, Oˉ blood is not very common in Konoha. Konan volunteered to donate her blood and Tsunade determined she was an appropriate match. After countless transfusions and mitotic therapies, you were still unresponsive to treatment. Tsunade began to grow increasingly frustrated and disappointed with the lack of progress. I noticed your horns slowly started regenerating and your vectors had suddenly become active."

"Sakura!" The blonde sannin slowly entered the hospital bedroom. "Oh, thank goodness!"

Sakura gagged as the busty woman smothered her in her strong embrace.

"Kakashi had previously mentioned to me that your body was covered in unusual rashes. Sakura, why did you keep this information from us?" Tsunade leaned backward and crossed her arms.

Sakura avoided her stern master's gaze and glanced down at the bed sheets dejectedly.

"If you had told us you were pregnant and suffering from complications you could have saved us the trouble of trying to resuscitate you! You were a ticking time bomb at high risk of suffering from this disease if you sustained any sort of trauma! We could have prevented your immunological intolerance by transfusing the father's…"

Itachi flashed Tsunade a harsh glare. An abrupt silence had suddenly been cast over the room. The Hokage dropped her arms and pushed a strained sigh.

"Oh, that's right…" She rested her hand on her jaw and shook her head. "He was the only one who could have prevented you from developing the disease…"

"Why would he risk her life in such a manner?" Itachi's eyes narrowed gravely.

"He was most likely unaware he was a 'dangerous male*.'" Tsunade's expression suddenly shifted into a smile. "All that aside, I'm relived you're finally awake, Sakura."

"Thank you for all you have done, Tsunade-shishou." Sakura nodded her head graciously. "And Itachi…thank you for staying by my side…"

He interlaced his fingers around hers and smirked. "I owe you my life…"

* * *

The tails of the red ribbons tied around her horns fluttered behind her as she raced down the hillside toward the abandoned Uchiha compound.

"Sakura-chan, slow down!" Naruto called out as the Uchiha brothers trailed after him.

She paused beside a tree with a crescent shaped trunk and slowly sauntered toward the dilapidated buildings.

"Sakura, why have you brought us here?" Itachi refused to step closer toward reality of his own destruction.

"…For liberation…" She smiled placidly as she pressed her hands against her bosom.

"This isn't funny, Sakura." Sasuke frowned as the Diclonius gracefully pivoted on the balls of her feet.

She stepped closer toward a wooden building adorned with a black four-point star logo with the Uchiha crest in the center. She pressed her hand against the logo and knocked on the wood. Sasuke and Naruto contorted their faces in confusion.

"This is the old Konoha Military Police Force headquarters." Sasuke inspected the dilapidated building. "Why are we here?"

"_Do you hear us beneath there_?" Sakura's voice had suddenly acquired a mechanical undertone.

Naruto scratched his scalp with perplexity evidently written in his face. "Sakura-chan? Are you alright?"

She inhaled deeply and tilted her head upward toward the sky. Her vectors clutched onto the wood and began frantically tearing away at the wall.

"Stop it!" Itachi shouted as her vectors carelessly tossed aside the wooden fragments.

"Sakura! Quit defiling the remnants of our clan!" Sasuke growled as the ethereal hands tore apart the symbol of his deceased clan.

Naruto and Sasuke simultaneously leapt out of the path of the crumbling wall. Itachi rushed down the hill toward the destroyed wall of the Konoha Military Police Force. She traced the pads of her fingers against the charred wooden wall now exposed to the external world. A faint circular symbol had been painted on the blackened wood. She smiled and swallowed forcefully as she rested the palm of her hand on the bottom of the white symbol.

Naruto gasped in utter astonishment. "What? This is…?"

"The remnants of my ancestors…"

Sasuke and Itachi exchanged unison glances.

"The Uchiha simply built over the Haruno ruins. The blood of both clans intermingle on these very grounds. It is here the Haruno and Uchiha lay side by side in harmony. Don't you see? They are standing here right now hand in hand."

"Um…I don't see anything…" Naruto cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're alright, Sakura-chan?"

"They have given us their blessing and are watching over us…"

Sasuke folded his arms impatiently. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Itachi smiled and grasped Sakura's hand. "I see them…"

They both stretched out their hands toward the apparitions standing before them. The apparitions mirrored their actions and touched hands with their counterparts. Sakura gently pressed her hand against the blue-eyed Diclonius' while Itachi touched the hand of the blindfolded Uchiha. Sakura pivoted on the ball of her foot and rested her head against Itachi's chest as the apparitions faded. She rubbed her cheek against his sinewy chest brushing loose a single tear from her eye. He rested his fingers on the curve of her horn and clutched her closer to his chest.

Naruto groaned in frustration. "I still don't get it! Does somebody mind explaining something to me?"

"Who knows…?" Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. He pressed his hand against his mouth as he noticed the stray tear descending down Sakura's cheek. He rubbed his eyes and shifted uncomfortably.

"Teme, you ok?"

"Shut up, dobe." Sasuke snapped back.

* * *

Itachi and Sakura returned to the small house on the border in search of a respite. They were often frequented by the lazy, slacking members of the Akatsuki. Sakura typically welcomed them to relax at the house despite Itachi's disapproval. Itachi entered the bedroom after he forced the last member out of the house to ensure their privacy. He widened his eyes as the bedroom had been adorned in peculiar candles.

"Sakura, what is this?" He scrutinized the charcoal black flames dancing on the tips of the candles.

"Those black flames were still burning outside the house so I used them to light the candles. They don't really provide much light though because…well…they're just black." Sakura grinned as she climbed on top of the bed.

He sat on the ledge of the bed and sighed into his hand.

"You don't like my idea?"

He rested his hand on the top of her head. "I guess it's creative..."

Sakura climbed on top of him and yanked his hair free from his ponytail. He poked her forehead and grinned deviously.

"Hey…" Sakura protested. She pressed her hands against his chest. "Remember, if we're going to love then we must love often. Doctor's orders."

"Tsunade's orders or your orders?"

"Mmm…both." She lowered her head and rubbed her cheeks against his.

He suddenly repositioned her petite body and smirked as he rolled over on top of her. "It's an order I can't argue against."

* * *

* So basically Madara screwed Sakura over in more ways than one. Sakura was suffering from an eclampsia-like disease which is caused by an immune intolerance to the paternal DNA. It is said that transfusing the father's cells may promote immune acceptance and increase the chances of carrying out a safe pregnancy. When Tsunade mentions that he is a "dangerous male" she means that he lacked the sufficient levels of seminal immune factors that would have induced immune tolerance in Sakura. Consistent exposure to a man's cells can help the woman acquire immunological tolerance to paternal DNA. That is why Sakura says that they "must love often."

A/N: That's all folks! I hope you enjoyed reading Hanami as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have a Happy New Year!


End file.
